title: Baton Rouge Woman Pleads Guilty to Filing Numerous PPP and EIDL Loan Applications Totaling More than $1 Million and Laundering the Fraudulent Proceeds

component: USAO - Louisiana, Middle

body_text: United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Tiera R. Lands, age 30, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson to wire fraud and money laundering in connection with numerous false and fraudulent applications that she filed to obtain funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program in 2020 and 2021. According to admissions made as part of her guilty plea, Lands owned and operated several businesses in Baton Rouge, including Virtuous Credit Solutions (“VCS”), and Virtuous Call Center, and through her businesses, she offered a variety of services, including credit counseling, tax preparation, and assistance obtaining business financing and loans. Beginning in or about March 2020, and continuing through April 2021, she devised a scheme to defraud the United States, through the United States Small Business Administration, and two participating PPP lenders, by filing numerous false and fraudulent applications for EIDL and PPP funds, both in the names of her own businesses and the names of other individuals and businesses located in the Baton Rouge area. With respect to the EIDL program, after submitting one application the name of VCS and receiving $7,000, Lands submitted two additional applications for the same company, knowing that these applications contained false representations intended to induce the SBA to release approximately $300,000 in additional funds to which she was not entitled. Then, between June 30, 2020 and July 9, 2020, she submitted false EIDL applications in the names of three other businesses. All three of these applications contained false representations, which caused the SBA to disburse approximately $450,000 in funds to which neither Lands nor the named applicants were entitled. Similarly, with respect to the PPP program, after submitting one application in the name of VCS and receiving approximately $20,000, Lands submitted two additional applications in which she made numerous false representations about her business. Lands also submitted at least seven more false PPP applications in the names of other individuals and businesses in which she inflated the businesses’ gross sales and payroll amounts, among other false statements. In connection with these applications, Lands submitted numerous fraudulent tax documents and payroll records, and she caused an authorized PPP lander to disburse nearly $250,000 in funds to which neither she nor the named applicants were entitled. In total, the false and fraudulent applications Lands admitted filing caused a total actual and intended loss of more than $1.1 million. Lands also admitted that she would receive proceeds from her fraudulent activity in cash, and as she did so, she would deposit the cash into her business bank account and structure the deposits so as to conceal the source of the funds and avoid triggering transaction reporting requirements. For instance, on July 3, 2020, after receiving proceeds from fraudulent conduct, Lands deposited $5,900 in cash into VCS’ bank account, and, two minutes later, deposited another $5,100 in cash into the same account. Ten days later, between approximately 11:45 p.m. on July 14, 2020 and 1:17 a.m. on July 15, 2020—a span of approximately 92 minutes— Lands made five separate cash deposits into VCS’ bank account, totaling $11,000. This matter is being investigated by the United States Secret Service, the Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigation, and the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office. The matter is prosecuted by AUSA Alan Stevens, who also serves as Senior Litigation Counsel for the United States Attorney’s Office, AUSA Brad Casey, and AUSA April Leon Johnson.


title: Minnesota Man Sentenced to a 300 Months Prison Sentence Following Shooting with Utah Law Enforcement Officers

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: Salt Lake City, Utah – A Minnesota man was sentenced today to 25 years’ imprisonment following a 2021 shooting incident with Utah Highway Patrol troopers. The defendant admitted that he discharged a firearm during and in relation to carjacking and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute offenses. According to court documents, on May 19, 2021, James Howard Klein, 35, of Chaska, Minnesota, was stopped by deputies in Juab County off Interstate-15 for a traffic violation. During a search of the Klein’s vehicle, deputies found nine pounds of methamphetamine and a loaded Hi-Point C9 9mm handgun. As deputies continued their search, Klein was placed in the front passenger side of a Juab County Sheriff deputy’s vehicle. Unhandcuffed, Klein slid to the driver’s side of the deputy’s vehicle and took off at a high rate of speed until losing control and disabling the vehicle at the next exit. UHP troopers, who were following Klein and signaling him to stop the vehicle, arrived behind the deputy’s stolen vehicle. Klein exited the vehicle and pulled out a secured Colt Defense 5.56 rifle and started shooting at UHP troopers who returned fire. Klein flagged down two bystanders in a white Ford Escape while holding the rifle. Threatening the bystanders with the gun, he attempted to take their vehicle and shoot them. As the bystanders escaped, Klein fired shots at their vehicle several times, eventually striking the passenger in the leg. Klein continued to shoot at troopers before he was struck by a bullet in the leg. Attempting to escape on foot, Klein hid by a nearby river. Additional law enforcement units arrived, located Klein and took him into custody. In addition to his 300 month’s imprisonment, Klein was ordered to serve five years of supervised release after his prison sentence. “You engaged in some of the most egregious offenses I have ever seen during my time on the bench,” said United States District Court Judge Jill N. Parrish. “The valiant UHP troopers engaged in a harrowing firefight with Mr. Klein that could have turned deadly at any point. Mr. Klein’s carjacking activities could have resulted in deadly consequences for the victims in this case as well,” said Assistant United States Attorney, Stewart M. Young, during sentencing. “We are grateful that no one perished because of Mr. Klein’s actions.” “Mr. Klein’s brazen actions demonstrate how desperate he was to evade arrest at the expense of law enforcement and public safety,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the Salt Lake City FBI. “This sentencing is an example of how the FBI and our partners work together to ensure violent offenders like Mr. Klein are not free to roam our streets for a long time.” Utah County Officer Involved Critical Incident Response Team (OICI) U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement. The case was investigated jointly by The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Utah Highway Patrol, Juab County Sheriff’s Office, and the Utah County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys, Stephen L. Nelson and Stewart M. Young of the District of Utah 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.


title: Former Naval Police Officer Sentenced for Making Threats in Interstate Commerce

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A former naval police officer at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in New Hampshire was sentenced on May 18, 2023 in federal court in Boston for making threatening communications to his ex-wife and her mother in Iowa. Luis De Leon, 30, of Middleton, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 18 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On March 8, 2023, De Leon pleaded guilty to three counts of making threats in interstate commerce. On or about April 30, 2022, De Leon made a threatening phone call to his ex-wife in Iowa from a mobile telephone belonging to another individual. Specifically, during the call, De Leon made several threatening statements including, “You’re gonna f****** pay! Do you understand!? There will be death! There will be war in the street! You wanna to go war!? I’ll take you to f****** war!” Between May and June 2022, De Leon sent two letters containing threats to his ex-wife’s mother in Iowa. In the letters, De Leon wrote, among other things, “I’ll be heading over there soon […] God help you and your dysfunctional family if you try and stop me. I won’t be alone either just so you know and that’s for your safety NOT MINE!!! […] If you don’t believe me just look where I’m sending this from. I don’t really have much else to lose, and do you know what men with nothing left to lose usually do?” Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy H. Kistner of Levy’s National Security Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Activity in the U.S. Attorney's Office

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

body_text: Firearm Offenses Danny Lee Jimenez, age 38, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced on May 18, 2023, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson sentenced Jimenez to 15 months in prison with three years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment. The crime was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore prosecuted the case. Paul King , age 64 of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced on May 22, 2023, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson sentenced King to 21 months’ imprisonment with three years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment. The crime was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kerry J. Jacobson. Civil Rights Argel Sierra , age 39, of San Antonio, Texas, was sentenced on May 16 for felony deprivation of civil rights. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl sentenced Sierra to five years’ probation, a $750 fine, and a $100 special assessment. Judge Skavdahl also ordered Sierra to pay $1,646.10 in restitution. According to court records, while serving as a police officer with the Mills (Wyo.) Police Department in 2019, Sierra unlawfully arrested a man without probable cause, and used excessive force to make the unlawful arrest. This crime was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Heimann prosecuted the case.


title: Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Brandon Ellis Gates, 37, of Akron, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute a mixture containing methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 12, 2022, a law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Gates on Interstate 77 in Jackson County. Gates admitted to possessing approximately four pounds of methamphetamine found during the officer’s search of the vehicle. Gates is scheduled to be sentenced on August 24, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), United States Marshals Service and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office. Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Julie M. White and J.C. MacCallum are prosecuting 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. 2:22-cr-146. ###


title: Woman Admits Aiding in St. Louis County ATM Worker Robbery

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A woman pleaded guilty Monday and admitted helping to steal a bag of cash from workers servicing an ATM in St. Louis County, Missouri. Gregreonia Hampton, 21, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey to one count of aiding and abetting a robbery. Hampton admitted helping Mark Anthony Diggs rob two employees of ATM Solutions on May 31, 2022 at a Vantage Credit Union. Hampton drove a white Kia Optima to the ATM, and Diggs then got out of Kia’s back seat with a fully automatic Anderson Manufacturing AM-15 firearm. He demanded and received a bag of cash before Hampton drove off. The robbery was captured on video. Hampton admitted having enough foreknowledge of the robbery that she could have walked away. The robbery charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine or both. Hampton is scheduled to be sentenced August 23. Diggs, 21, pleaded guilty in April to charges of robbery and possession and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. The St. Louis County Police Department, the FBI, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Linda Lane is prosecuting the case.


title: Busby man admits armed meth trafficking on Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: BILLINGS —A Busby man today admitted to armed methamphetamine trafficking on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation after law enforcement found the drug and three firearms in a car in which he was traveling, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Ivan Eaglefeathers, 20, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute meth and to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime as charged in a superseding information. Eaglefeathers faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and at least three years of supervised release on the drug crime and a mandatory minimum five years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and a mandatory minimum of five years of supervised release. U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. A sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Eaglefeathers was detained pending further proceedings. In court documents, the government alleged that on Sept. 12, 2021 on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, law enforcement officers stopped a car that had run two stop signs, was traveling at a high rate of speed and was believed to have been seen at an earlier shooting. Four people in the car, including Eaglefeathers, and were engaged in distributing meth. Officers detained all four persons. A federal search warrant was served on the car and officers found approximately 48 grams of meth, $2,000 in cash, a scale and drug paraphernalia, ammunition and three firearms. The guns were a .17-caliber rifle, an AR-style 5.56mm rifle and a 9mm handgun. A video of Eaglefeathers and a co-defendant shows Eaglefeathers outside of the vehicle on the same day with a gun in his hand. Eaglefeathers admitted to having one of the rifles in the car and to having shot it in the air. Co-defendant Jamesey Maria Jefferson of Busby pleaded guilty to charges in the case and is pending sentencing. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI and Bureau of Indian Affairs conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Two Indicted for Narcotics Offenses Involving 20 Kilograms of Cocaine

body_text: BOSTON – Two men have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston in connection with a traffic stop in Littleton on March 29, 2023, that resulted in the seizure of 20 kilograms of cocaine. Cornelio Hernandez, 51, of Fort Worth, Texas; and Erasmo Lira-Mendez, 38, a citizen of Mexico, have been indicted on one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine. Hernandez and Lira-Mendez were arrested on March 29, 2023, on related state charges. The defendants were detained following an initial appearance in federal court in Worcester today before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge David H. Hennessy. According to court documents, Hernandez and Lira-Mendez were arrested after a traffic stop in Littleton resulted in the seizure of 20 kilograms of cocaine from a duffle bag on the back seat of their car. The driver, Lira-Mendez, lacked a driver’s license. The passenger, Hernandez, also lacked a driver’s license and had a pending warrant for his arrest in Texas. The charges of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances (involving 5 kilograms or more of cocaine) and possession with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine provide for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years incarceration and a maximum of life, at least five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $10 million. 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 Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of Levy’s Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: California Woman Sentenced for Violating the Federal Controlled Substances Act

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – LORRAINE SANCHEZ VALDEZ , age 31, of Covina, California, was sentenced on May 17, 2023, to 57 months imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee by U.S. District Judge Ivan L. R. Lemelle, after pleading guilty to a one-count superseding bill of information that charged her with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(C), and 846, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to court documents, SANCHEZ VALDEZ conspired with others to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine within the Eastern District of Louisiana and elsewhere on or about May 15, 2021 and continuing to on or about June 7, 2021. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Louisiana State Police, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Rush City Woman Pleads Guilty to $1.8 Million Scheme Involving Romance Fraud and Federal Pandemic Programs

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A Rush City woman has pleaded guilty to mail fraud after participating in multiple schemes that defrauded individuals throughout the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, from 2017 through April 2022, Gayle Joyce Ferngren, 69, and others participated in a scheme to launder proceeds that were fraudulently obtained from victims throughout the United States, including the proceeds of romance fraud scams and schemes to defraud Federal Pandemic Assistance Programs. According to her guilty plea, from approximately June 2020 through December 2020, Ferngren acknowledges that she received at least 68 debit cards containing approximately $1.3 million in fraudulent unemployment benefits from California and Nevada to which she was not entitled. After receiving the fraudulent proceeds, Ferngren kept a portion for herself and transmitted most of the funds to other scheme participants, including to individuals located overseas. In total, Ferngren laundered at least $1.8 million in fraud proceeds. According to her guilty plea, on or about May 27, 2021, a scheme participant—not Ferngren—submitted an application in Ferngren's name seeking a PPP loan in the amount of approximately $20,833.00. Among other falsehoods, the PPP application claimed that Ferngren had worked as an independent contractor doing residential remodeling since 2017 and included falsified tax records and income claims. Ferngren did not sign this application or fill out the information contained within it. Based on the false information presented by another scheme participant, the fraudulent PPP loan application was approved and approximately $20,833 in fraudulent PPP proceeds were deposited into Fergren’s bank account in May 2021, which she knew she was not entitled to receive. Ferngren pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court before Judge John R. Tunheim to one count of mail fraud. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Department of Labor–Office of Inspector General, and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew S. Ebert and Allison K. Ethen are prosecuting the case.


title: Two Minneapolis Men Plead Guilty to Armed Carjacking

body_text: ST PAUL, Minn. – Two Minneapolis men have pleaded guilty to carjacking, kidnapping, and holding a victim at gunpoint for several hours, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, on the evening of February 14, 2023, Jamal Timothy Funchess, 18, T’Shawn Teon Palton, 21, and a juvenile posted an advertisement on Facebook Marketplace to purportedly sell an iPhone. The victim responded and made arrangements to buy the phone. The victim and the purported seller agreed to meet at a location in Columbia Heights. When the victim arrived at the location and was still in the car, Palton and the juvenile approached. The juvenile had a gun and hit the victim in the face with the firearm. The men ordered the victim to the backseat of the car. The men then got into the victim’s car, drove a few blocks, and picked up Funchess. For several hours, the three men drove the victim’s car around the Twin Cities, holding the victim at gunpoint in the backseat. Each of the three men at some point held the firearm and pointed it at the victim. During this time, they demanded that the victim surrender his cell phone, wallet, credit cards, and banking information. They drove to several gas stations around the Twin Cities in an attempt to use the victim’s cards to withdraw money. Toward the end of the ordeal, the three men discussed what to do with the victim and openly talked about murdering him. Eventually, they dropped the victim on a road in St. Paul and drove away in the victim’s car. The victim ran to a nearby gas station and borrowed an employee’s cell phone to call 911. Officers were able to use the location of the victim’s stolen cell phone to find Palton, Funchess, and the juvenile, along with the victim’s stolen car and possessions. Funchess and Palton pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court before Senior Judge Susan Richard Nelson to one count each of carjacking. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled at a later date. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bloomington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew D. Forbes is prosecuting the case.


title: Watertown Father and Son Sentenced to Prison for Decade-Long Lottery and Tax Fraud Scheme

body_text: BOSTON – A father and son were sentenced today in federal court in Boston for orchestrating an elaborate “ten-percenting” scheme involving dozens of convenience stores across Massachusetts. The defendants unlawfully claimed more than 14,000 winning lottery tickets, laundered over $20 million in proceeds, and then lied on their tax returns. The result was more than $6 million in federal tax loss. As a direct result of this case, the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission is in the process of revoking or suspending the licenses of more than 40 of its lottery agents. Ali Jaafar, 63, and Yousef Jaafar, 29, both of Watertown, were sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to five years and 50 months in prison, respectively, in addition to orders of restitution in the amount of $6,082,578 and forfeiture of their profits from the scheme. In December 2022, Ali and Yousef Jaafar were convicted by a federal jury of one count of conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and one count each of filing a false tax return. Mohamed Jaafar, another of Ali Jaafar’s sons who was also involved in the scheme, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service on Nov. 4, 2022 and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 25, 2023. In 2019 alone, Ali Jaafar was the top individual lottery ticket casher for Massachusetts. Mohamed Jaafar was the third highest individual ticket casher and Yousef Jaafar was the fourth highest individual ticket casher. The scheme also resulted in federal tax losses of over $6 million, more than $1.2 million of which went directly to the defendants in the form of fraudulent tax refunds. “This case is, at its core, an elaborate tax fraud. Over the course of a decade, this father-and-son team defrauded the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission and the IRS to pocket millions of hard-earned taxpayers’ dollars. These defendants worked together to recruit a wide network of co-conspirators and spread their lottery scam across Massachusetts, avoiding detection by repeatedly lying to government officials. In total, the Jaafars laundered more than $20 million in proceeds, and their scheme resulted in more than $6 million in tax loss. These defendants pocketed $1.2 million from fraudulent taxpayer refunds,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “I commend the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission and the IRS for their exceptional collaboration and partnership. As a direct result of this case, the Commission is in the process of revoking or suspending the licenses of more than 40 of its lottery agents. This case should serve as a warning to those who think they can cheat the system for their own financial gain: you will be identified, prosecuted and held accountable.” “Instead of using business savvy and skill to build a legitimate multi-generational family business, the Jaafars carried out a complex decade-long tax and lottery scam, building a vast network of coconspirators to further their illegal activities. Tax violations have been erroneously referred to as victimless crimes, but it's the honest law-abiding citizen who is harmed when someone tries to manipulate our nation's tax system,” said Joleen Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston. “This case is an example of the extensive efforts the Lottery will take in partnering with law enforcement to assist in the prevention of illegal activities. This decision is the culmination of years of hard work to maintain the integrity of the Lottery,” said Deborah B. Goldberg, Massachusetts State Treasurer & Receiver General, and Chair of the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission. “The outcome of this case sends a clear message that anyone complicit in the avoidance of financial obligations through fraudulent Lottery prize claims faces real and severe consequences. We commend the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Massachusetts State Police and the IRS for their efforts in assisting us in confronting these illegal activities and securing the public’s trust in the Lottery,” said Mark William Bracken, Interim Executive Director, Massachusetts State Lottery. Between 2011 and 2020, the defendants purchased winning lottery tickets from individuals across Massachusetts who wanted to sell their winning tickets for a cash discount instead of claiming their prizes from the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission. This allowed the real winners to avoid identification by the Commission, which is legally required to identify lottery winners and withhold any outstanding taxes, back taxes and child support payments before paying out prizes. The defendants recruited and paid the owners of dozens of convenience stores to facilitate the transactions. After purchasing tickets from the lottery winners at a discount, using the convenience stores as go-betweens, the defendants lied to the Commission, claiming the full amount of the prize money as their own. The defendants then further profited by reporting the winnings on their income tax returns and claiming equivalent fake gambling losses as an offset, thereby avoiding federal income taxes and receiving fraudulent tax refunds. Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; IRS SAC Simpson; Treasurer & Receiver General Goldberg; and Interim Executive Director Bracken made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Markham and Kristen A. Kearney of Levy’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Santa Clarita Man Found Guilty of Producing Child Pornography

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A federal jury has convicted a Canyon Country man and former Navy SEAL of producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) for surreptitiously filming nude minor victims with hidden cameras in a residential setting. Robert Quido Stella, 50, was found guilty Friday afternoon of three counts of producing child pornography, each of which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in federal prison. According to court documents, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) received a tip two years ago that Stella had accessed a dark web child pornography website. On July 15, 2021, agents found collections of CSAM on Stella’s computer and two external hard drives. Stella concealed some of the collections in digital folders structures bearing misleading titles such as “federal contracts” and “tax returns.” During the course of their investigation, HSI agents also found hidden cameras that Stella placed, including one disguised as a USB charging block. According to evidence presented at trial, Stella used that hidden camera to film his minor victims as they undressed to shower and used the bathroom. HSI later located approximately 17 videos and over 100 screenshots from those videos of minor victims naked and partially undressed. Stella hid these images under multi-level digital folder structures on a hard drive bearing misleading titles such as “course work.” A federal grand jury returned an indictment on July 27, 2021, that charged Stella with the three counts of production of child pornography, one count of access with intent to view child pornography for logging on to the child pornography dark web site, and two counts of possession of child pornography. Stella pleaded guilty to access with intent to view child pornography and two counts possession of child pornography, each of which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years. The federal jury convicted Stella of the three counts of production of child pornography on Friday after a four-day trial. United States District Judge George H. Wu has scheduled an August 24 sentencing hearing on all six counts. Stella has been in custody since his arrest. This investigation in this case was conducted by HSI. Assistant United States Attorneys Catharine A. Richmond and Lyndsi C. Allsop of the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this 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 Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Man Convicted of Torture and Exporting Weapons Parts and Related Services to Iraq

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A federal jury convicted a Pennsylvania man on May 19 for numerous crimes, including the torture of an Estonian citizen in 2015 in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, in connection with the operation of an illegal weapons manufacturing plant in Kurdistan. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Ross Roggio, 54, of Stroudsburg, arranged for Kurdish soldiers to abduct and detain the victim at a Kurdish military compound where Roggio suffocated the victim with a belt, threatened to cut off one of his fingers, and directed Kurdish soldiers to repeatedly beat, tase, choke, and otherwise physically and mentally abuse the victim over a 39-day period. The victim was employed at a weapons factory that Roggio was developing in the Kurdistan region of Iraq that was intended to manufacture M4 automatic rifles and Glock 9mm pistols. In connection with the weapons factory project, which included Roggio providing training to foreign persons in the operation, assembly, and manufacturing of the M4 automatic rifle, Roggio also illegally exported firearm parts that were controlled for export by the Departments of State and Commerce. “Roggio brutally tortured another human being to prevent interference with his illegal activities,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Thanks to the courage of the victim and other witnesses, the hard work of U.S. law enforcement, and the assistance of Estonian authorities, he will now be held accountable for his cruelty.” “Today’s guilty verdict demonstrates that Roggio’s brutal acts of directing and participating in the torture of an employee over the course of 39 days by Kurdish soldiers could not avoid justice,” said U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. “We thank all the prosecutors and law enforcement agents who worked tirelessly to address these acts that occurred in Iraq.” “Today’s milestone conviction is the result of the extraordinary courage of the victim, who came forward after the defendant inflicted unspeakable pain on him for more than a month,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Torture is among the most heinous crimes the FBI investigates, and together with our partners at the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center, we will relentlessly pursue justice.” “U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is firmly dedicated to pursuing those who commit human rights violations, like Roggio, to ensure perpetrators face justice for their atrocities,” said Deputy Director and Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Director Tae D. Johnson of ICE. “Our investigators will continue to work tirelessly with government partners so these horrendous acts do not go without consequence.” “The illegal export of firearms parts and tools from the United States often goes hand in hand with other criminal activities, such as the charge of torture on which the jury voted to convict the defendant,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Carson of the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), Office of Export Enforcement, New York Field Office. “I commend our law enforcement colleagues for their dedication to bringing justice in this case.” Roggio was convicted of torture, conspiracy to commit torture, conspiring to commit an offense against the United States, exporting weapons parts and services to Iraq without the approval of the Department of State, exporting weapons tools to Iraq without the approval of the Department of Commerce, smuggling goods, wire fraud, and money laundering. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 23 and faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Roggio is the second defendant to be convicted of torture since the federal torture statute went into effect in 1994. The FBI and HSI investigated the torture and were joined in investigating the export control violations related to the firearms manufacturing equipment by the Department of Commerce’s BIS Office of Export Enforcement. Trial Attorney Patrick Jasperse of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, Trial Attorney Scott A. Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd K. Hinkley for the Middle District of Pennsylvania are prosecuting the case. The Estonian Internal Security Service, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, and the Pennsylvania State Police also provided valuable assistance. Members of the public who have information about human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact U.S. law enforcement through the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI or the HSI tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE, or complete the FBI online tip form or the ICE online tip form .


title: Justice Department Secures Settlement with New Jersey IT Recruiting Firm to Resolve Immigration-Related Discrimination Claims

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it has secured a settlement agreement with Infosoft Solutions Inc., a New Jersey IT recruiting and contracting company operating as KForce Tech LLC. The settlement resolves the department’s determination that Infosoft violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by posting six discriminatory job advertisements that solicited applications only from non-U.S. citizens who needed visa sponsorship and, in one case, also sought applicants only from India. “When employers advertise jobs only to applicants from a certain country or who need temporary visas, they discourage all other eligible workers and deny them a fair chance to be considered,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division will not tolerate national origin or citizenship status discrimination and is committed to knocking down these unlawful discriminatory barriers.” The department’s investigation determined that between July 2021 and August 2021, Infosoft posted at least six job advertisements inviting applications only from applicants who wanted sponsorship to work in the United States or who already had an employment-based temporary visa. One of the six advertisements also required the candidates to be from India. In doing so, the company deterred workers with permission to work in the United States without sponsorship (such as asylees, refugees, lawful permanent residents, U.S. nationals and U.S. citizens) from applying to the job advertisements and being fairly considered for the employment opportunities. The INA’s anti-discrimination provision generally prohibits employers from recruiting or refusing to hire workers based on their citizenship status or national origin. Under the settlement, Infosoft will pay $25,500 in civil penalties to the United States. The agreement also requires the company to train its recruiters on the INA’s requirements, revise its employment policies and be subject to departmental monitoring and reporting requirements. The Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. Among other things, the statute prohibits discrimination based on citizenship status and national origin in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices ; retaliation; and intimidation . Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video . Find more information on how employers can avoid citizenship status discrimination on IER’s website . Applicants or employees who believe they were discriminated against based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing, recruitment or during the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify); or subjected to retaliation, may file a charge . The public can also call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); email IER@usdoj.gov ; sign up for a free webinar ; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Subscribe for email updates from IER. View the Spanish translation of this press release here. Spanish version


title: El Departamento de Justicia llega a un acuerdo con una empresa de reclutamiento en el sector informático con sede en New Jersey que resuelve unas acusaciones de discriminación relacionada con la inmigración

body_text: El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha llegado a un acuerdo conciliatorio con Secureapp Technologies LLC (Secureapp), una compañía de reclutamiento y contratación laboral en el sector informático, cuya sede se encuentra en New Jersey. El acuerdo resuelve la determinación del Departamento que Secureapp vulneró la ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad («INA», por sus siglas en inglés) al publicar anuncios de trabajo que pedían solicitudes únicamente de personas no ciudadanas de los EE. UU. que buscaban un patrocinador para una visa laboral temporal o que tenían un estatus migratorio asociado con ciertas visas temporales basadas en el empleo. «Cuando los empleadores convocan solicitudes únicamente de candidatos con cierto estatus migratorio, disuaden a otros individuos de presentar una solicitud y les niegan una oportunidad justa de ser considerados para el puesto» afirmó Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «La División de Derechos Civiles está comprometida a eliminar estas barreras discriminatorias ilegales». La investigación del Departamento determinó que, comenzando en enero del 2019 y durante más de un año después, Secureapp publicó al menos 12 anuncios de trabajo facialmente discriminatorios que buscaban solamente a personas no ciudadanas de los EE. UU. que necesitaban un patrocinador para poder trabajar o que ya poseían una visa laboral. Al hacerlo, Secureapp disuadió a ciudadanos de los EE. UU. y a otros trabajadores con permiso para trabajar en los Estados Unidos sin patrocinio (entre ellos asilados, refugiados y residentes permanentes legales) de presentar solicitudes a los anuncios de trabajo y de ser considerados de manera justa para las oportunidades de empleo. Por lo general, la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA prohíbe que los empleadores recluten o se nieguen a contratar a trabajadores con base en su estatus migratorio o ciudadanía. Conforme el acuerdo, Secureapp pagará una sanción civil a los Estados Unidos que asciende a $26,000. Asimismo, el acuerdo requiere que Secureapp capacite a sus reclutadores en cuanto a los requisitos de la INA, que revise sus políticas de empleo y que se someta a los requisitos de supervisión y declaración del Departamento. La Sección de Derechos de Inmigrantes y Empleados de la División de Derechos Civiles es responsable de hacer cumplir la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA. Entre otras cosas, la ley prohíbe la discriminación con base en el estatus de ciudadanía y la nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido o reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión; las prácticas documentales injustas ; las represalias o la intimidación . Para aprender más sobre la labor de la IER y cómo conseguir ayuda, vea este vídeo corto. Aprenda más sobre cómo los empleadores pueden evitar la discriminación por motivos de estatus de ciudadanía en el sitio web de la IER . Aquellos aspirantes o empleados que creen haber sido discriminados por motivos de su estatus migratorio, ciudadanía o nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido, reclutamiento o verificación de la elegibilidad para trabajar (Formulario I-9 e E-Verify) o sujetos a represalias pueden presentar una denuncia . El público también puede llamar a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores al 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); llamar a la línea directa de la IER para empleadores al 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); enviar un correo electrónico a IER@usdoj.gov ; inscribirse a un seminario en línea gratuito ; o visitar los sitios web de la IER en inglés o español . Para recibir las últimas noticias de la IER, inscríbase a GovDelivery .


title: U.S. Law Enforcement Disrupts Networks Used to Transfer Fraud Proceeds, Taking Over 4,000 Actions in Fifth Campaign

component: Civil Division

body_text: The Justice Department, FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), and other federal law enforcement agencies announced today the completion of a three-month campaign that disrupted networks used by foreign fraudsters to obtain fraud proceeds. Multiple law enforcement actions addressed conduct by individuals sometimes referred to as “money mules,” who have been providing critical services to fraudsters by receiving money from fraud victims and forwarding the fraud proceeds to the perpetrators (many of whom are based overseas). Some individuals knew they were facilitating fraud, while others first interacted with fraudsters as victims and may have been unaware that their activity furthered criminal activity. Over approximately the last three months, law enforcement took over 4,000 actions against individuals responsible for facilitating a range of fraud schemes. These schemes included those that targeted consumers, such as lottery fraud and romance scams, as well as those that targeted businesses or pandemic funds. The thousands of actions taken by law enforcement — which ranged from criminal prosecutions to civil actions, to warning letters — were designed to punish those who knowingly assisted fraudsters and to advise those who may have been unknowingly helping fraudsters that their conduct furthered crime. These actions are intended to deter overseas fraudsters from relying on U.S.-based individuals to facilitate schemes and thereby reduce the harm caused by foreign fraud operations. This year’s effort marked the fifth U.S. law enforcement campaign disrupting these money transmitting networks. Since the first campaign, during which approximately 400 actions were taken by law enforcement, agencies have collectively taken over 12,000 actions. Investigations have shown that disrupting money transmitting networks has impeded fraudsters’ abilities to receive funds, thereby reducing fraud victimization. These campaigns are part of a global effort to tackle money transmitting networks linked to illegal activity. “Law enforcement is committed to reducing fraud using every tool at our disposal. Our efforts to disrupt networks used to transfer fraud proceeds, to educate the public about elder fraud, and to prosecute those involved in these schemes have stymied fraudsters,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “This initiative demonstrates what can be achieved through focused efforts and vigorous enforcement.” “The money mule campaign was an effort to educate the public, disrupt criminal enterprises, and provide feedback to financial institutions who go to great lengths to implement anti-money laundering programs,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI values the partnership of the Justice Department's Consumer Protection Branch, USPIS, and other federal agencies who work together to disrupt criminal enterprises conducting fraud and money laundering schemes.” “Anyone can be approached to be a money mule, but criminals often target students, those looking for work, and those on dating websites,” said USPIS Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the Criminal Investigations Group. “When those individuals use the U.S. Mail to send or receive funds from fraudsters, postal inspectors are quick to step in and put a stop to money mule activities.” This year’s effort was coordinated by the Justice Department's Consumer Protection Branch, FBI and USPIS, which were joined by Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General. Participating agencies collectively served over 4,000 letters warning individuals that their activities are facilitating fraud. These letters outlined the potential consequences for continuing to transmit illegally acquired funds. Participating agencies also filed 12 civil or administrative actions. Additionally, more than 25 individuals were criminally charged for knowingly receiving and forwarding victim funds or otherwise laundering fraud proceeds. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District Massachusetts charged a defendant for using his accounting and “virtual CFO” business as a front to launder the proceeds of internet fraud schemes. As part of the alleged conspiracy, the defendant created dozens of shell companies and used those shell companies to open business bank accounts in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, through which the defendant laundered the criminal proceeds for his clients in exchange for fees. In total, since 2019, the defendant is alleged to have opened approximately 80 bank accounts (purportedly on behalf of 65 different companies), laundering approximately $35 million. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina charged an individual for facilitating an international, multimillion-dollar tech support fraud. The indictment alleged that the defendant agreed to obtain payment-processing services in his name to process victim payments and laundered the proceeds domestically and internationally to bank accounts located in India, receiving 3% of the revenue in return. The U.S. Attorneys' Offices for the Central District of California and the District of Nebraska charged individuals who, despite warnings from law enforcement, continued facilitating fraud. In the Central District of California, an individual was charged for her role in receiving funds from fraud victims, including victims of business email compromises. According to the charges, the defendant opened 11 bank accounts at seven separate financial institutions in furtherance of the scheme. In the District of Nebraska, two individuals were charged for facilitating a lottery fraud scheme, including by receiving cashier’s checks in the mail. As in past years, participating agencies are working to raise awareness about how fraudsters recruit and use individuals to assist their fraud operations. Federal agencies conducted outreach to the public and industry, and also expanded partnerships with local, state, and foreign law enforcement agencies. The Commodities Futures Trading Commission released a public awareness message about how fraudsters use and recruit people to facilitate romance fraud and “wrong number” text message scams, where fraudsters strike up conversations touting their wealth and success in trading crypto assets, over-the-counter foreign currency, or gold contracts to try and convince consumers to “invest” in crypto assets. The agencies involved in this effort urge consumers to be on the lookout for signs someone is trying to recruit them to receive and transmit fraud proceeds. Do not agree to receive money or checks mailed to you or sent to your bank account for someone you have met over the phone or online. Do not open a bank or cryptocurrency account at someone else’s direction. Fraudsters will lie to persuade you to help them. They may falsely tell you that they are helping you get a lottery prize, initiate a purported romantic relationship and then tell you that they need money, or pretend to offer you a job, an opportunity to invest in a business venture, or the chance to help in a charitable effort. For more information on this initiative, please visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch/money-mule-initiative. Information about the Department of Justice’s Elder Fraud Initiative is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). Information about the Justice Department's COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force is available at www.justice.gov/coronavirus . For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch . A criminal indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women Announces National Protocol for Intimate Partner Violence Medical Forensic Examinations

component: Office on Violence Against Women

body_text: The Justice Department today announced the release of the National Protocol for Intimate Partner Violence Medical Forensic Examinations . The protocol will guide the clinical practice of conducting comprehensive assessments for patients experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) that prioritize the patient’s health and well-being. Acting Director Allison Randall of the Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women made the announcement at the 2023 Conference on Crimes Against Women in Dallas. IPV is a significant issue that poses considerable health, social, and legal challenges within the United States. It impacts individuals of all ages, races, genders, sexual orientations, abilities and socioeconomic statuses. Conducting medical forensic exams within a trauma-informed framework is crucial to our nation’s response to IPV. They play a vital role not just in providing immediate medical attention, but also in supporting the long-term recovery, safety and well-being of victims. These examinations offer prompt and necessary medical care to victims, identifying even non-apparent injuries. They also collect critical evidence that can be used in legal proceedings. During the exam, victims are also given access to essential resources such as counseling and safety planning services. This provides a crucial lifeline of support, aiding their journey toward recovery and safety. “The protocol helps ensure that victims will be cared for with compassion and respect after an assault,” said Acting Director Randall. “Clinicians have the chance to offer patients experiencing IPV an assortment of choices, empowering them to make the most suitable decisions for their own welfare and that of their loved ones. The evidence collected in the exam can also strengthen criminal cases to hold offenders accountable.” The protocol, developed in a collaborative effort with the International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN) and an array of project partners across disciplines – health care, justice, victim advocacy, law enforcement, victim services and leading national entities – provides comprehensive guidance for patient care. It emphasizes delivering trauma-informed, patient-centered care across various health care settings and supports a gender-affirming approach to care. The protocol underscores the crucial role of accessible language and effective communication, and advocates for the use of interpretation and translation services to guarantee equitable access. It outlines protocols for screening IPV patients in all settings and emphasizes the provision of care in different age groups, from adolescents to older adults. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 41% of women and 26% of men experienced contact sexual violence, physical violence and/or stalking by an intimate partner and reported an intimate partner violence-related impact during their lifetime. The protocol serves as an integral tool in bolstering the Justice Department’s endeavor to safeguard survivors of IPV as well as keeping communities nationwide safe.


title: South Georgia Man Sentenced as Career Offender for Armed Meth Distribution

component: USAO - Georgia, Middle

body_text: VALDOSTA, Ga. – A Valdosta, Georgia, resident with a lengthy criminal drug distribution history was sentenced as a federal career offender after admitting to distributing methamphetamine from a motel room in South Georgia. Thomas Charles Singletary, 45, was sentenced to serve 130 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Hugh Lawson on May 17, after he previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. There is no parole in the federal system. “Armed convicted felons distributing highly dangerous drugs in the Middle District of Georgia will face the possibility of federal prosecution for repeatedly breaking the law and putting our citizens at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “We are collaborating with our law enforcement partners at every level to make our communities safer.” According to court documents, a confidential source tipped off Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) investigators about illegal drugs being sold from a motel room in Lake Park, Georgia. On Feb. 4, 2021, LCSO investigators found Singletary, a known convicted felon, in the room with a handgun and drug paraphernalia visible. Singletary admitted the firearm—a .380 caliber, semi-automatic pistol—was his for protection. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm. A search of the room recovered the firearm, multiple ammunition rounds and a bag of methamphetamine. Text messages found on the cell phone of an individual with Singletary revealed evidence that they were involved in distributing methamphetamine in Adel, Georgia. Singletary has at least six felony convictions in the Superior Courts of Tift County, Georgia, Berrien County, Georgia, and Lowndes County, Georgia, to include possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The case was investigated by the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert McCullers is prosecuting the case for the government.


title: Wetumka Resident Sentenced For Possession With Intent To Distribute Methamphetamine

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Joseph Anthony Paxton, age 31, of Wetumka, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 58 months in prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. The charges arose from investigations by the Hughes County Sheriff’s Department, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the District 22 Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration. On March 15, 2022, Paxton pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. On November 28, 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Paxton’s residence in Wetumka. Officers discovered approximately 12 grams of methamphetamine, baggies, digital scales, a .380 pistol, and ammunition. The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearings in Muskogee. Paxton 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.


title: Rapid City Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Robbery and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon. The sentencing took place on May 18, 2023. Eric Blue Bird, 31, was sentenced to two ten-year terms in federal prison, to run consecutively, followed by three years of supervised release. Blue Bird was also ordered to pay restitution and a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Blue Bird was indicted for Kidnapping, Assault on a Federal Officer, and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon by a federal grand jury in January of 2022. He pleaded guilty on November 14, 2022. The conviction stems from Blue Bird robbing and assaulting a federal law enforcement officer on January 16, 2022, while he was incarcerated at the Oglala Sioux Tribe Adult Offender Facility. This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins prosecuted the case. Blue Bird was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Alcester Woman Charged with Wire Fraud

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a federal grand jury has indicted an Alcester, South Dakota, woman for ten counts of Wire Fraud. Michelle Warner, age 56, was indicted in May of 2023. She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on May 18, 2023, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment. The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and up to $1,000 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered. The Indictment alleges that beginning on or about June 1, 2018, and continuing through May 17, 2022, Warner, who was employed as a bookkeeper/accountant, and later as a business administrator, devised and intended to devise a scheme and artifice to defraud and obtain money and property from others by means of false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises. The Indictment alleges that Warner, in her capacity as bookkeeper/accountant and business administrator, falsely and fraudulently paid herself additional and unauthorized payroll payments and then used the funds for her own purposes. Warner also caused her employer to remit payroll tax to the Internal Revenue Service on her behalf. Such funds purportedly came from withholding from Warner’s payroll check, when in fact, as Warner then and there knew, she did not actually withhold those funds from her payroll check. Additionally, Warner used her employer’s credit card without authority for her own personal use. The charges are merely accusations and Warner is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The investigation is being conducted by the FBI, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Union County Sheriff’s Office, and the South Sioux City (NE) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman is prosecuting the case. Warner was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set.


title: Three Individuals Sentenced to Lengthy Prison Terms for the Carjacking Murder of a College Student in Utuado, Puerto Rico

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On May 18, 2023, U.S. District Judge Raúl Arias-Marxuach sentenced Richard Montalvo-Otero, Yabdier Hernández-Camacho, and Luis Rodríguez-Otero to serve prison sentences of 360 months, 262 months, and 240 months, respectively, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. All three defendants had previously pleaded guilty to federal offenses relating to the carjacking and killing of Álvaro Torres-De Jesús. Specifically, on October 1, 2019, Montalvo-Otero, Hernández-Camacho, and Rodríguez-Otero traveled to the Bar de Hery , a commercial establishment near the University of Puerto Rico campus in Utuado, Puerto Rico. Once there, the three men met with Torres, a classmate of Rodríguez-Otero. After socializing with Torres for a while, Montalvo-Otero, Hernández-Camacho, and Rodríguez-Otero, aiding and abetting each other, forced Torres into his Toyota Rav4 at gunpoint. Montalvo-Otero and Hernández-Camacho then drove Torres to an alleyway where they met with Rodríguez-Otero. At the alleyway, Montalvo-Otero and Hernández-Camacho opened fire on Torres, shooting and killing him as Rodríguez-Otero recorded the incident. After the shooting, Montalvo-Otero and Hernández-Camacho drove the Toyota Rav4 to a separate location, where they abandoned it. The following evening, Montalvo-Otero and Hernández-Camacho set the Toyota Rav4 on fire and shot and wounded Rodríguez-Otero in an attempt to kill him. “Although today’s sentences cannot undo the devastation that these men inflicted upon Torres’ family, they reflect our resolve to ensure that those who menace our communities with senseless acts of violence face the consequences of their actions,” said United States Attorney Muldrow. The FBI and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau investigated the case. Assistant U.S. States Attorneys Alexander L. Alum and Daynelle M. Álvarez Lora prosecuted the case. ###


title: Cocoa Man Sentenced To 25 Years In Federal Prison For Distributing Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Jason Alan Scruggs (53, Cocoa) to 25 years in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine. Scruggs had pleaded guilty on April 19, 2022. According to court documents, on two occasions in 2021, Scruggs sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant. Each of the transactions occurred at a residence associated with Scruggs in Cocoa, and on one occasion, the methamphetamine sold by Scruggs was determined to be 99% pure. At the time of the offenses, Scruggs had multiple prior convictions for drug offenses. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cocoa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Terry B. Livanos.


title: North Fort Myers Man Indicted For Possessing A Firearm As A Convicted Felon

body_text: Fort Myers, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Chester Lewis Risco, III (19, North Fort Myers) with possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. If convicted, Risco faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Risco that the United States intends to forfeit the firearm and ammunition, which are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense. According to the indictment, Risco was in possession of a pistol on April 27, 2023. Risco was previously convicted of two felony offenses in March 2023, making him federally prohibited from possessing a firearm. 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 is case was investigated by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark R. Morgan. 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: Bradenton Man Sentenced To More Than 17 Years For Distributing Cocaine Obtained Through The Mail

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Angel Hernandez Coss (38, Bradenton) to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute over five kilograms of cocaine. Hernandez Coss had pleaded guilty on January 17, 2023. According to court documents, Hernandez Coss and his codefendant, Nathasha Prieto, a former United States Postal Carrier, orchestrated a scheme by which Prieto provided addresses on her delivery route to Hernandez Coss who used those addresses to secure shipments of cocaine from Puerto Rico. As a result, kilogram quantities of cocaine were shipped in packages to these addresses. Prieto then removed the packages from the mail stream and provided them to Coss who then distributed the cocaine. Prieto previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy. She is scheduled to be sentenced on May 23, 2023. This case was investigated by the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Manatee County Sherriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jim Preston.


title: Former Plaistow Man Sentenced for Trafficking More Than 2 Pounds of Cocaine in New Hampshire

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A former Plaistow man was sentenced today in federal court for his intent to traffic more than 2 pounds of cocaine in New Hampshire, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announced. Corey Buckley, 43, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Laplante to 37 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release. Buckley was also ordered to pay a fine of $5000. On February 2, 2023, Buckley pleaded guilty to charges of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. As a result of a months-long investigation into Buckley’s drug trafficking, law enforcement found approximately 1.1 kilograms cocaine in the kitchen of a residence where Buckley was living in May 2022. Law enforcement also seized a ledger and a scale, along with $50,000 in U.S. currency, and two firearms. Buckley has been detained since his arrest on May 19, 2022. The $50,000 in currency, firearms, and a Rolex watch were forfeited as part of the resolution. The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided from the Massachusetts State Police and the Haverhill Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charles L. Rombeau, with assistance from Assistant United States Attorney Robert Rabuck on the forfeiture part of the case. ###


title: Atlanta Man Sentenced To More Than Six Years In Prison For Methamphetamine Distribution Conspiracy Using Laundry Detergent Boxes

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Jose Javier Galvan (55, Atlanta, GA) to six years and six months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Galvan had pleaded guilty on February 2, 2023. According to court documents, in July and August 2021, Galvan conspired with others to distribute kilogram quantities of high-purity methamphetamine from Guadalajara, Mexico to Atlanta and Tampa. Galvan drove from the Atlanta area to Tampa to plan for the distribution of the methamphetamine and agreed to sell several kilograms of methamphetamine for approximately $5,700, with more quantities of the drug to follow via deliveries from his drug courier. A drug courier drove from Atlanta to Plant City and delivered 1.89 kilograms of high-purity methamphetamine imported from Mexico. The courier transported the methamphetamine in a bright green laundry detergent box. On July 22, 2021, Galvan traveled from Atlanta to Temple Terrance, Florida to collect more than $11,000 of drug monies owed to him for the methamphetamine delivery. The following week, Galvan and a drug courier agreed to deliver another multi-kilogram package of methamphetamine into the Middle District of Florida. The drug courier drove from Atlanta with the methamphetamine contained in two laundry detergent boxes. Law enforcement stopped the courier’s vehicle in Lowndes County, Georgia. During the traffic stop, law enforcement discovered the two laundry detergent boxes containing an aggregate amount of approximately 4.9 kilograms of methamphetamine. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Winter Haven Police Department, the Plant City Police Department, and the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office (Georgia). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David W.A. Chee.


title: Deltona Man Sentenced To Life In Federal Prison For Sexually Exploiting Children

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Wayne Joseph Cavins (64, Deltona) to life in federal prison for attempted online enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Cavins was also ordered to serve a life term of supervised release and to register as a sex offender. Cavins had pleaded guilty on November 15, 2022. According to court documents, from December 23, 2020, through January 29, 2021, Cavins attempted to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a child to engage in sexual activity. Cavins met the child on a social media application and later communicated with the child via text messages. During their text messages, Cavins detailed his interest in engaging in sexual activity with the child, including specifying possible hotel locations for them to meet. In addition, Cavins persuaded and enticed the child to produce child sex abuse materials on several occasions that depicted specific content requested by Cavins. After his arrest, Cavins admitted to talking to the child and that he knew it was wrong. A search of his devices showed Cavins possessed multiple images of child sex abuse materials, including images of the minor child. Further investigation revealed Cavins physically and sexually abused another minor to whom he had access for several years. “This predator fed his perverse fantasies by sexually abusing a child for years, enticing another minor victim, as well as producing and collecting sexually explicit content of children,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Assistant Special Agent in Charge K. Jim Phillips. “This well-deserved life sentence stands as proof that through law enforcement partnerships with St. Johns County and Clay County Sheriff’s Offices, and all partner agencies on the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force, law enforcement in northeast Florida will stop at nothing to stop the victimization of our children by these dangerous predators.” This case was investigated by the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force. The United States Attorney’s Office also extends a special thank you to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance during the sentencing hearing. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington. It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Jury Convicts Jacksonville Man For Receiving And Paying Illegal Healthcare Kickbacks

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has returned guilty verdicts on the indictment charging Mario Correa Jackson (38, Jacksonville) with illegally soliciting and receiving healthcare kickbacks as well as illegally offering and paying health care kickbacks. Jackson faces a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment on each of the charges. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to the evidence presented at trial, Jackson received illegal healthcare kickbacks for recruiting individuals to sign up for prescription compound creams. While working in the linen department of the NAS JAX Hospital, Jackson specifically targeted members of the military to ensure that the military members’ health insurance, TRICARE, would pay for the cost of the compound creams focusing on pain, scar, and migraine creams because they were the most lucrative for kickback purposes. The compound creams themselves cost TRICARE on average tens of thousands of dollars per cream. In addition to receiving kickbacks for receiving his own creams, Jackson also paid kickbacks to others once he had signed them up to get their creams and automatic refills, regardless of whether they actually needed the creams. Jackson was responsible for signing up at least 40 individuals, for whom he would receive an additional kickback for recruiting them as “patients.” Once the individuals showed proof of obtaining their prescription cream, Jackson paid them their illegal kickbacks of several hundreds of dollars per cream they received. This case was investigated by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys John Cannizzaro, Mai Tran, and Julie Hackenberry.


title: Steinhatchee Man Indicted For Methamphetamine Trafficking

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – A federal grand jury has returned a one-count indictment charging Ryan Tyler Newman, 29, of Steinhatchee, Florida, with distribution of methamphetamine. The indictment was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. The indictment alleges on or about August 17, 2022, Newman distributed a quantity of methamphetamine. Newman was identified through an ongoing, multi-agency investigation targeting illegal drug distribution in the Taylor County, Florida area. If convicted, Newman faces up to 20 years in prison. This case resulted from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, and the Perry, Florida Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Eric K. Mountin is prosecuting the case. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. More information about OCDETF may be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Florida Woman Convicted After Eight-Day Trial For The Voluntary Manslaughter of Her Girlfriend

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – A federal jury convicted Janice Martina Mason, age 29, of Melbourne Florida, today of voluntary manslaughter for running over a woman on the Baltimore-Washington (“BW”) Parkway and leaving her to die. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on a second degree murder charge. The guilty verdict was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Washington Field Office Criminal Division; and Chief Jessica M. E. Taylor of the U.S. Park Police (“USPP”). According to the evidence presented at her eight-day trial, in the early morning hours of November 24, 2021, USPP officers responded to a citizen report for a body on the side of the BW Parkway northbound, north of Route 197, an area within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States. Officers found the victim lying face down on the shoulder of the road. Medics arrived on the scene and pronounced the victim dead. The evidence showed that that there were no skid marks or vehicle parts located at the scene. A cellphone belonging to the victim was found on the grass and another cellphone with a broken screen was found in the roadway and was later determined to belong to Mason. There was testimony that later on November 24, 2021, Mason contacted the USPP Greenbelt Station and advised that she’d lost her phone on the BW Parkway after it had been thrown out of her vehicle, and she tracked the location to USPP Criminal Investigations. Mason then agreed to come to the station for an interview. Witnesses testified that Mason advised the USPP detective that she was visiting from Florida and was staying at her mother’s house in Washington, D.C. Mason falsely told the detective that she was driving the victim and another woman home to Laurel, Maryland, in a black Nissan vehicle when the other woman started hitting Mason. Mason said she pulled over to the side of the highway and ordered them out of the car and they walked away. The detective showed her the phone found in the roadway of the BW Parkway and she identified it as her phone. She also identified a photo of the victim as one of the people she was driving home. Evidence was presented that on November 25, 2021, a USPP detective went to Mason’s mother’s home, spoke with Mason and obtained her written consent to seize and search the contents of her phone, which had been returned to her, and to tow and examine a black Nissan vehicle parked behind the residence, which Mason confirmed was the vehicle she’d used to drive her friends home. While at the residence, the USPP detective noticed a black Ford Expedition parked down the street with the tag “JANICE.” Investigators subsequently determined that Mason had been driving the Ford Expedition on November 24 th and not the Nissan vehicle. They went back to Mason’s mother’s residence to tow the Ford Expedition, which was found to have visible damage to the hood, front grille, and the passenger side running board. As detailed in trial testimony, on November 26, 2021, Mason had a second voluntary interview with USPP investigators. She acknowledged that the was driving the black Ford Expedition on the morning of November 24 th and advised investigators that it was just Mason and the victim in the car that day. The Ford Expedition was processed and searched by the FBI’s Evidence Response Team. A swab from the indented hood area was collected and sent to the FBI Laboratory for DNA analysis and concluded that it was DNA from the victim. The FBI Laboratory examined impressions that were collected from the undercarriage of the Ford Expedition, and determined that one corresponded in pattern and size with the victim’s shoe. The jury found that Mason intentionally killed the victim in the heat of passion. Mason faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison for voluntary manslaughter. Chief U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar has scheduled sentencing for August 25, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the USPP and the FBI for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Kim Y. Oldham and Ari Evans, who are prosecuting the case. Mr. Barron also recognized the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Kristy Penny. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Perry Woman Indicted For Large-Scale Drug Trafficking Conspiracy And Methamphetamine Distribution

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – A federal grand jury has returned a three-count indictment charging Miranda Stafford, 55, of Perry, Florida, with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of over 500 grams of methamphetamine, distribution of over 50 grams of methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine. The indictment was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. The indictment alleges that between on or about March 1, 2023, and on or about April 11, 2023, Stafford conspired with other individuals to possess with intent to distribute and distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine. The indictment further alleges that on or about April 4, 2023, Stafford distributed over 50 grams of methamphetamine, and on or about April 11, 2023, possessed with intent to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine. Based on prior felony drug trafficking convictions, if convicted, Stafford faces not less than 25 years up to life in prison for all three charges. This case resulted from a large-scale, regional investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office, Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, and the Perry Police Department, as well as members of the Northstar Drug Task Force, including the Wakulla, Bay, Gulf, and Leon County Sheriff’s Offices. Assistant United States Attorney Eric K. Mountin is prosecuting the case. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. More information about OCDETF may be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Baltimore Man Facing Federal Charges For Murder For Hire  Resulting In The Death Of A Baltimore Woman, Witness Retaliation And Witness Tampering

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – A federal grand jury returned an indictment yesterday charging Matthew Hightower, age 41, of Baltimore, Maryland, with two counts of conspiracy to murder a witness, one count each of witness retaliation murder and witness tampering murder, and one count of a murder for hire conspiracy related to the murder of Latrina Ashburne on May 27, 2016. The indictment was announced by First Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Phil Selden; Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; and Chief Robert McCullough of the Baltimore County Police Department. According to the five-count indictment, Hightower conspired to and did kill Ashburne with the intent to retaliate against this witness for providing information to a law enforcement officer relating to the commission and possible commission of a federal offense, as well as to prevent this witness from attending and testifying in an official proceeding. Baltimore Police Department reports show that Ashburne was murdered in the early morning as she got into her car outside her home in the Cylburn neighborhood of Baltimore. The police reported that an unknown male approached and shot Ms. Ashburne in the upper body as she tried to run. If convicted, Hightower faces a mandatory sentence life in prison for each of the two conspiracy counts, for the witness retaliation and witness tampering murder charges, for the murder for hire conspiracy. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. No court appearance has been scheduled. Hightower is detained. First Assistant United States Attorney Phil Selden commended the HHS-OIG, the FBI, the Baltimore Police Department, the ATF, and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Selden thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kim Y. Oldham and Aaron S. J. Zelinsky, who are prosecuting the federal case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Columbia Man Seen Shooting on Surveillance Video Found Guilty of Felon in Possession of Ammunition

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA —Bernard Breeland, 36, of Columbia, was convicted following a jury trial in federal court of being a Felon in Possession of Ammunition. Evidence presented by the Government at trial established that on February 4, 2020, the City of Columbia Police Department (CPD) responded to a shooting incident at a local apartment complex. CPD officers discovered a living male victim with multiple gunshot wounds in the parking lot, along with 9 fired .45 auto shell casings. Further investigation by CPD led to the recovery of surveillance camera footage that captured the incident. The video showed Breeland shooting a man multiple times at close range in the parking lot and then running away from the crime scene. Surveillance footage showed the shooting took place in a portion of the parking lot where CPD later recovered the .45 auto shell casings. The shell casings were all the same brand, and a Nexus expert with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) testified that the shell casings affected interstate commerce because they were manufactured outside of South Carolina. Federal law prohibits Breeland from possessing ammunition based on his prior felony convictions. More than 50 exhibits were entered into evidence during the two-day trial, and the jury ultimately convicted Breeland on the sole count of being a Felon in Possession of Ammunition. United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr., presided over the trial and will sentence Breeland after receiving and reviewing the pre-sentence report prepared by the United States Probation Office. Breeland faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. This case was investigated by the City of Columbia Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lamar J. Fyall and Benjamin Garner are prosecuting the case. ###


title: Evansville Man Indicted for Allegedly Dealing Fentanyl Using Snapchat Resulting in at Least Three Overdoses, Including One Death

component: USAO - Indiana, Southern

body_text: EVANSVILLE- A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Jeremial Lee Leach, 19, of Evansville, Indiana with one count of Distribution of Fentanyl Resulting in Death, two counts of Distribution of Fentanyl, and one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl. As alleged in the complaint and indictment, Leach is responsible for dealing fentanyl resulting in at least three overdoses, one of which resulted in death. Leach advertised fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills over Snapchat to hundreds of recipients using the alias “Mel.” On June 25, 2022, at approximately 12:11 a.m., officers with the Evansville Police Department (EPD) responded to a residence on Wedeking Avenue in reference to the overdose of an adult female. The woman was revived with naloxone. Later the same day, at approximately 10:55 a.m., EPD officers responded to the same residence on Wedeking Avenue for the overdose of another woman, who subsequently died. The coroner located a counterfeit oxycodone pill containing fentanyl on the deceased woman’s person. The cause of both overdoses was determined to be fentanyl intoxication. Investigators searched the deceased victim’s phone and found conversations between her and Jeremial “Mel” Leach in which they discussed the transaction of “blues” pills. Leach gave her his address on Shanklin Avenue. On August 20, 2022, at approximately 4:15 p.m., EPD officers were dispatched to a restaurant located on Hirschland Road concerning an overdose. Upon arrival, the officers located a woman sitting on the ground in the parking lot of the restaurant, not alert and beginning to lose consciousness. An officer administered naloxone and, a short time later, the woman began to regain consciousness. The woman advised EFD that she had taken 30 mg of oxycodone. On August 22, 2022, the third victim told investigators that on the day of her overdose, she purchased four Percocet 30’s from 1614 Shanklin Avenue and overdosed because they contained fentanyl. She identified her supplier as “Mel,” Jeremial Leach. On October 7, 2022, at approximately 2:14 p.m., EPD officers responded to a location on SE Riverside Drive after receiving a call regarding a single vehicle accident. The witness advised that the driver of the vehicle, a minor boy, was no longer coherent. EFD personnel arrived on scene and attempted to wake the driver with a sternum rub. After that failed, they administered naloxone. The boy became responsive and admitted to medical personnel that he took two Percocet 7.5mg pills that he had purchased from “Mel” via Snapchat approximately forty-five minutes before the vehicle crash. He speculated that the pills may have been pressed fentanyl pills, rather than actual Percocet. On October 11, 2022, investigators with the Evansville-Vanderburgh County Drug Task Force observed Leach conduct two apparent drug deals at his residence. The buyers, both underage boys, left separately in a Kia Optima and a gold Hyundai Tucson. Shortly thereafter, law enforcement stopped both vehicles after observing traffic violations. During the stop of the vehicles, investigators located three blue pills marked “M30” inside the Kia and six blue pills marked “M30” inside the Tucson. One of the boys in the buyer’s car later stated that his dealer’s name was “Mel.” Later that day, officers executed a search warrant at Leach’s residence on Shanklin Avenue. Leach exited the front door of the home and was taken into custody by detectives. Some of the items located and seized during the search included 33 blue pills marked “30,” a digital scale, two 9mm pistols , and approximately $1,843 in cash. The pills seized during the two traffic stops and from Leach’s residence were submitted for laboratory analysis and tested positive for the presence of fentanyl. DEA, Evansville Police Department, and the Evansville-Vanderburgh County Drug Task Force investigated this case. If convicted on all counts, Leach faces up to life in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine the actual sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Kristian Mukoski, who is prosecuting this case. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, as little as two milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal, depending on a person’s body size, tolerance, and past usage. One kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people. 6 out of 10 illegal fentanyl tablets sold on U.S. streets now contain a potentially lethal dose of the drug. One Pill Can Kill : Avoid pills bought on the street because One Pill Can Kill . Fentanyl is a highly potent opioid that drug dealers dilute with cutting agents to make counterfeit prescription pills that appear to be Oxycodone, Percocet, Xanax, and other drugs. Fentanyl is used because it’s cheap. Small variations in the quantity or quality of fentanyl in a fake prescription pill can accidentally create a lethal dosage. Fentanyl has now become the leading cause of drug poisoning deaths in the United States. Fake prescription pills laced with fentanyl are usually shaped and colored to look like pills sold at pharmacies, like Percocet and Xanax. For example, fake prescription pills known as “M30s” imitate Oxycodone obtained from a pharmacy, but when sold on the street the pills routinely contain fentanyl. These particular pills are usually round tablets and often light blue in color, though they may be in different shapes and a rainbow of colors. They often have “M” and “30” imprinted on opposite sides of the pill. Do not take these or any other pills bought on the street – they are routinely fake and poisonous, and you won’t know until it’s too late. An indictment or criminal complaint are merely allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###