title: Jury Finds Pittsburgh Man Guilty of Firearm and Drug Trafficking Crimes

body_text: PITTSBURGH – Randale Chapman was convicted of firearm and drug trafficking crimes at the conclusion of a jury trial, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Chapman, age 35 of Pittsburgh, was convicted of committing the following crimes on April 30, 2020: (1) possession of fentanyl, methamphetamine, or methylenedioxyamphetamine with intent to distribute, (2) possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and (3) possession of a firearm after a prior felony conviction. He was also convicted of possessing oxycodone or methamphetamine with intent to distribute on February 5, 2021. Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the United States Marshals Service and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation leading to the convictions in this 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 of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Hartford Man Sentenced to 4 Years in Federal Prison for Gun Offense Stemming from April 2022 Shootout

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that KEJUAN WILLIAMS, 30, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to 48 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for a firearm offense. According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 18, 2022, after an unidentified shooter opened fire at individuals who were standing in a parking lot outside of a memorial gathering in Hartford, surveillance cameras at the location recorded at least nine individuals drawing firearms, and some of them returned fire. Shot Spotter technology recorded approximately 50 shots fired within approximately 90 seconds in and around the location, and law enforcement recovered at least 31 shell casings from the scene. Williams was present at the memorial gathering and was recorded on video brandishing a handgun and firing approximately eight times at the fleeing assailant. He then fled the scene in a black Acura. On April 21, 2022, Hartford Police officers located Williams’ car parked near a restaurant on Westland Street. Williams was found inside the restaurant crouching behind a counter. Officers apprehended Williams and seized a loaded Taurus G2C 9mm handgun on the ground where Williams had been crouching. Investigators subsequently submitted to the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) a test-fired shell casing from the seized handgun. Analysis of the shell casing revealed that it matched shell casings that were recovered from the shooting on April 18. Williams’ criminal history includes multiple felony convictions, including a conviction in 2015 for carrying a pistol or revolver without a permit. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce. Williams has been detained since his federal arrest on May 12, 2022. On January 25, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Hartford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Pierpont, Jr. U.S. Attorney Avery thanked the Hartford State Attorney’s Offices for its cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of this matter. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.


title: Amarillo Man Sentenced to 11+ Years in Prison for Use of WMD

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: An Amarillo man who set off a bomb in his backyard, stashed a suicide vest in his alleyway, and privately plotted to blow up a local high school was sentenced today to more than 11 years in federal prison on a weapons of mass destruction (WMD) charge, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Erfan Salmanzadeh, a 34-year-old naturalized citizen of the U.S. born in Iran, was charged via criminal complaint in July 2021 and indicted the following month. He pleaded guilty in December 2022 to use and attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and was sentenced today to 135 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk. “This defendant stashed a highly volatile substance inside his home, putting his whole neighborhood at risk. Moreover, he apparently contemplated using it to inflict violence on a local school,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “The Justice Department is always alert for this type of threat. We urge the community to partner with us by reporting suspicious behavior to law enforcement so that we can swiftly address any potential danger.” “The FBI would like to thank the Amarillo Police Department, the North Texas Joint Terrorism Taskforce, Homeland Security Investigations, the Texas Department of Public Safety, Randall County Sheriff’s Office, and the Amarillo Fire Department for partnering with us on this investigation,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Chad Yarbrough. “Today’s sentence holds the defendant accountable for possessing a device with the potential to cause significant damage and harm innocent people. Intervention from concerned neighbors allowed us to move quickly and prevent a violent attack. We ask that the public continue to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity to law enforcement.” According to plea papers, Mr. Salmanzadeh admitted to law enforcement that he used homemade triacetone triperoxide ( TATP ) to blow up an Xbox in his back yard on July 26, 2021. At the time, he claimed he wanted to see how much damage such an explosion would cause. He further admitted that after law enforcement arrived at the home to investigate the explosion – which was reported by neighbors who heard the blast – he flushed a gallon-sized jar of TATP powder down the toilet and concealed a suicide vest and a nail bomb in a dumpster in his alleyway. According to plea papers, bomb technicians collected residual TATP – an extremely unstable explosive that reacts violently to friction and shock – from the defendant’s porcelain toilet bowl. They also discovered TATP residue on a white PVC pipe hidden in his bedroom closet. Officers recovered the suicide vest, which contained several sewn pockets filled with red cylindrical taped tubes labeled “dynamite,” and nail bomb from the dumpster. Law enforcement later reviewed his electronic devices, including a video Mr. Salmanzadeh recorded on July 22, 2021, threatening to blow up a local high school. “We are going to blast the school,” he said in Farsi, before displaying the nail bomb filled with shrapnel, the suicide vest filled with pipes labeled dynamite, a suitcase filled with container labeled explosives, and a backpack filled with bottles labeled explosives to the camera. Officers uncovered several other videos showing Mr. Salmanzadeh conducting test explosions and several journals that contained notes and formulas related to the production of explosives. In plea papers, Mr. Salmanzadeh admitted he used the internet to conduct all the research he needed to construct TATP and WMD. He also admitted he used the internet to purchase a plane ticket to California on July 28, 2021, to avoid detection by law enforcement after a bombing. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and the Amarillo Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of the North Texas Joint Terrorism Taskforce, Homeland Security Investigations, the Texas Department of Public Safety, Randall County Sheriff’s Office, and the Amarillo Fire Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey Haag and Josh Frausto prosecuted the case with assistance provided by the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.


title: Six Pennsylvania Residents and One Resident of North Carolina Indicted on Wire Fraud Conspiracy, Computer Fraud, ID Theft and Possession of Child Sex Abuse Material Charges

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: ERIE, Pa. - Six residents of Pennsylvania and one resident of North Carolina have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Erie on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, fraud in connection with unlawful computer access, aggravated identity theft, and receipt and possession of child sexual abuse material, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. The sixteen-count Indictment named the following: Richard Alan Martz, Jr., 33, Meadville, Pennsylvania Dylan Michael Miller, 30, West Mifflin, Pennsylvania Christopher Clampitt, 33, Clemmons, North Carolina Edward Grabb, 31, Jeanette, Pennsylvania Michael Yackovich, 27, West Newton, Pennsylvania Luke Robert Swinehart, 22, Lock Haven, Pennsylvania Karlin Terrell Jones, 26, Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania According to the Indictment presented to the court, the seven co-defendants conspired to hack into Snapchat accounts for the purpose of removing explicit images and videos depicting the victim account holders. After obtaining the explicit material, the co-defendants would then share the images and videos with each other and others online unbeknownst to the victim account holders. “As alleged, the defendants used deception and hacking techniques to unlawfully access social media accounts so that they could steal, hoard, and trade explicit and otherwise private content of hundreds of unsuspecting victims,” U.S. Attorney Olshan said. “This Office and our law enforcement partners will reach far and wide to identify and prosecute those who victimize our communities via the internet, especially when they seek to victimize our most vulnerable population—our children.” “The seven people charged today exploited their victims and engaged in a predatory behavior that will not be tolerated,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Mike Nordwall. “Hacking into social media accounts, stealing intimate pictures of unsuspecting victims and then selling and trading them in online forums is nothing short of reprehensible. These victims were re-victimized multiple times as their personal pictures were recirculated. We believe there is an extensive network of victims who still haven’t been identified.” The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 69 years in prison, a fine of $1,750,000, or both for Martz; 34 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000, or both for Miller; 22 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both for Clampitt; 22 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both for Grabb; 29 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000, or both for Yackovich; 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both for Swinehart and Jones. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants. Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. If you believe you are a victim in this case and would like to opt-in to receive case notifications or if you have any questions about your rights, please contact the Victim Witness Coordinator at usapaw.victimwitness@usdoj.gov. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Gretna Man Sentenced After  Pleading Guilty to Violating   Federal Controlled Substances Act

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – TRAVIS GIBSON , age 49, a resident of Gretna, Louisiana, was sentenced on July 5, 2023 by United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo to time served and (3) years of supervised release after pleading guilty to a one-count superseding bill of information charging him with possession with intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to court documents, on November 19, 2020, a Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Deputy learned than an individual was traveling eastbound on Interstate 10 after having purchased narcotics from his source of supply. Agents conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle, a truck that was being driven by GIBSON . As the agents approached the vehicle, the front seat passenger, Eric Rodriguez, gave a bag containing several ounces of methamphetamine to Ryan Moreau, the back seat passenger, to put into a container of bleach also located on the back seat to destroy the methamphetamine and avoid detection by law enforcement. In a post-arrest statement, GIBSON acknowledged that he had driven Rodriguez to Baton Rouge so Rodriguez could pay off a previous drug debt. GIBSON also confirmed that Rodriguez gave the drugs to Moreau to place into the bleach and thus, avoid detection by law enforcement. This case was investigated by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney André Jones of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Gadsden Pharmacist Pleads Guilty to Drug Distribution Conspiracy and Tax Crimes

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Gadsden-area pharmacist has been convicted of drug distribution conspiracy and tax crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Demetrius D. Hardeman of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). Nathan Thomas Carter , 41, of Gadsden, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Court Judge R. David Proctor to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and three counts of filing false federal income tax returns According to the plea agreement, between 2015 and late 2021, Carter conspired with others to distribute controlled substances including oxycodone and hydrocodone. Between February 2018 and 2023, Carter worked as the pharmacist in charge at Midtown Pharmacy in Gadsden. Between 2018 and 2021, records reflect, Midtown Pharmacy ordered at least 80,000 more dosage units of oxycodone 30 mg than the pharmacy dispensed to patients. Carter diverted opioid pills from the pharmacy and sold those pills to other drug distributors. He regularly took distributor bottles from his pharmacy to his house, where he repackaged the pills in plastic bags for resale. The defendant earned about $150,000 in illicit income, per year, which he failed to report or include on his income tax returns in 2019, 2020, and 2021. According to the plea agreement, during the execution of a search warrant at Carter’ house, authorities found more than $110,000 in cash. The maximum penalty for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances is twenty years in prison. The maximum penalty for each count of filing false federal income tax returns is three years in prison. The FBI and IRS investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney J.B. Ward is prosecuting the case.


title: Cass County Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking Violations in East Texas

component: USAO - Texas, Eastern

body_text: MARSHALL, Texas – An Avinger man has been sentenced to more than 24 years in federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today. Joshua Adam Tolar, 41, pleaded guilty on Jan. 26, 2023, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine and was sentenced to 292 months in federal prison by Chief U.S. District Judge J. Rodney Gilstrap on July 17, 2023. According to information presented in court, Tolar was part of a drug trafficking organization responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine in the Marshall area. On Jan. 12, 2021, law enforcement officers intercepted a package of almost 3 kilograms of methamphetamine that was shipped through the postal service and intended for Tolar. On May 8, 2021, Tolar was stopped by law enforcement officers and found in possession of 505 grams of methamphetamine and 110 grams of marijuana. As the importer and distributor of methamphetamine, Tolar was held responsible for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and distributing multiple kilos of methamphetamine. Tolar was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 15, 2022, and charged with drug trafficking violations. This case was investigated by U.S. Department of Homeland Security (Homeland Security Investigations), Texas Department of Public Safety-Criminal Investigations Division, Harrison County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Locker. ###


title: Mason City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm While Distributing Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who possessed a firearm while distributing methamphetamine was sentenced today to over eight years in federal prison. Michael David Dalluge, age 28, from Mason City, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 17, 2023 guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. At the plea hearing, Dalluge admitted that, on May 6, 2022, he was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped by law enforcement. Both the driver and Dalluge fled the vehicle, and Dalluge was apprehended a block away. A backpack Dalluge was carrying was found to contain methamphetamine and a loaded, stolen, firearm. Dalluge was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Dalluge was sentenced to 102 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Dalluge is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jack Lammers and investigated by the Cerro Gordo Sheriff’s Office, Clear Lake Police Department, Mason City Police Department, Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement, and the North Central Iowa Drug Task Force. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 22-CR-3021. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Koreatown Man Convicted in Scheme to Illegally Sell Firearms

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A federal jury today convicted a Los Angeles man of participating in a scheme that illegally sold 27 guns, including a “Glock switch” that converts a semiautomatic firearm to a machinegun. Following a five-day trial, William Nirion Peña, 40, who resides in the Koreatown neighborhood, was found guilty of conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing in firearms without a license. The evidence presented at trial showed that Peña provided approximately 10 of the firearms and a substantial amount of ammunition that were sold by a co-conspirator to an undercover agent. The firearms included two silencers without serial numbers and the Glock switch. A second defendant in this case – Ellourth Eladio Simon 32, of the Mid-City neighborhood of Los Angeles – pleaded guilty on May 25 to one count of engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license and one count of possessing a machine gun. Simon specifically admitted engaging in eight illegal gun transactions, several of which involved multiple firearms, including a November 10, 2021, sale for $8,400 in which Simon sold an ATF undercover agent four handguns and a “ghost gun” AR-type rifle. From at least September 2021 until late February 2022, Peña provided Simon with information about the prices and nature of numerous firearms – frequently sending photographs of firearms that Simon could sell to Simon’s gun customers. “Peña and Simon frequently coordinated efforts to sell [guns to the undercover agent] by communication over the phone about the price and availability of firearms and firearms components, and arranging the logistics of specific sales to customers during evening transaction in supermarket parking lots and similar locations,” according to court documents. Evidence presented at trial indicated that Peña was obtaining firearms from sources in other states, primarily Arizona. Peña is scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge George H. Wu on September 18, at which time Peña will face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. Simon is scheduled to be sentenced on August 10. As a result of his guilty pleas, Simon faces a statutory maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this matter. This case is the result of an investigation by the Los Angeles Firearms Trafficking Strike Force, which is spearheaded by the ATF and the United States Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Chou of the Violent and Organized Crime Section, along with other members of that section, are prosecuting this case.


title: Ansonia Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing and Selling Catalytic Converters

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that FRANCISCO AYALA, 22, of Ansonia, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 30 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for offenses related to his participation in a stolen catalytic converter trafficking ring. According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an investigation into the coordinated theft of catalytic converters from motor vehicles across Connecticut. A catalytic converter contains precious metals, can easily be removed from its vehicle, and is difficult to trace, making it a desirable target for thieves. The average scrap price for catalytic converters currently varies between $300 and $1,500, depending on the model and type of precious metal component. The investigation revealed that Ayala engaged in numerous catalytic converter thefts throughout Connecticut, and he was caught on surveillance video stealing converters from two vans at a business in Stratford on March 9, 2022. Between December 2021 and May 2022, Ayala and an associate sold approximately $150,000 worth of stolen catalytic converters to a co-conspirator who transported the converters to other businesses, including businesses in New York and New Jersey, for further resale and profit. On April 4, 2023, Ayala pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property, and one count of interstate transportation of stolen property. Ayala has been detained in state custody for unrelated theft offenses since May 2022. This investigation is being led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CI), and the East Hartford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren C. Clark and A. Reed Durham.


title: St. Paul Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of Firearm

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A St. Paul man has pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a firearm as a felon, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, on March 7, 2023, officers with the St. Paul Police Department were conducting surveillance at an apartment looking for De’Voncea Lashoun Griffo, 24, a suspect in an ongoing homicide investigation. Officers observed Griffo leave his apartment building wearing a cross-body bag across his chest and get into the driver’s seat of a Chevrolet Equinox. After Griffo pulled into a thrift store parking lot, officers activated emergency lights and conducted a felony stop. Griffo removed his cross-body bag and set it behind the center console of the car, and was placed under arrest. Officers later obtained a warrant to search Griffo’s vehicle and recovered the cross-body bag, which contained a .45 caliber Glock pistol with an extended magazine containing 23 rounds of ammunition. Because Griffo has a prior felony conviction, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time. Griffo pleaded guilty earlier today in U.S. District Court before Senior Judge Michael J. Davis to one count of possession of a firearm as a felon. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Paul Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hillary A. Taylor is prosecuting the case.


title: Charlotte Tax Preparer Is Sentenced To Prison

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Charlotte tax preparer was sentenced to 20 months in prison today for preparing and filing false tax returns, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Jessica Earlene Truesdale, 49, of Charlotte, was also ordered to serve one year of supervised release after completing her prison term and to pay $1,177,615 in restitution. Karen Wingerd, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS CI), Charlotte Field Office, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to court documents and statements made in court, Truesdale owned and operated Queen City Financial Company, LLC (Queen City Financial), a tax preparation business with three locations in the Charlotte area. Between 2014 and 2017, Truesdale prepared and filed fraudulent tax returns on behalf of her clients and earned at least $1 million in return preparation fees, which were paid directly from her clients’ refunds. Court documents show that Truesdale used several methods to falsify clients’ tax returns, including claiming false filing status and exemptions, American Opportunity credits, education credits, and earned income tax credits, among others. As a result of the false information contained in the fraudulent returns, Truesdale’s clients reduced their tax liabilities and received fraudulently inflated tax refunds. To further conceal the fraud, Truesdale regularly failed to review the completed tax returns with clients, except to inform them the amounts of their refunds. As a result, some clients received correspondence from the IRS or the State of North Carolina questioning items on their tax returns. On February 17, 2022, Truesdale pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting in the preparation of a false tax return. Truesdale will be ordered to report the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked IRS CI for their investigation of the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Caryn Finley of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.


title: Durham, N.C. Man Is Sentenced To Prison For Operating An Unlicensed Cryptocurrency Business And Related Tax Charges

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Jayton Gill, 35, of Durham, N.C., was sentenced to 21 months in prison followed by a year of supervised release today for operating an unlicensed money transmitting business and willful failure to file a tax return, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Gill was also ordered to pay a forfeiture money judgement in the amount of $475,000. Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in North Carolina, and Karen Wingerd, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS CI), Charlotte Field Office, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to filed court documents and court proceedings, from 2015 to 2021, Gill operated an unlicensed money transmitting business involving the exchange of millions of dollars of cash and other monetary instruments for cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Monero. During the relevant time, Gill conducted thousands of transactions involving thousands of Bitcoins. As Gill previously admitted in court, he advertised his unlicensed money transmitting business on various public websites and made claims on one such website that he had conducted more than 4,200 transactions with 2,700 different parties. Gill also conducted unlicensed money transactions in person and via the U.S. Postal Service. Court records show that Gill also failed to file U.S. Individual Income Tax Returns for tax years 2015 through 2019, despite earning significant income from his unlicensed money transmitting business and from investing in cryptocurrency. On July 12, 2022, Gill pleaded guilty to operating an unlicensed money transmitting business and failure to file a tax return. He will be ordered to report to the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. The FBI and IRS CI handled the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Ryan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.


title: Appleton Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Armed Standoff

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on July 17, 2023, Senior United States District Judge William C. Griesbach sentenced Torey D. Robinson (Age: 37) to a total sentence of five years’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release for an armed standoff that occurred in Appleton, Wisconsin. According to court documents, on April 10, 2023, Robinson approached Appleton Police Department officers and asked what kind of body armor they were wearing. Less than one hour later, officers were dispatched to a report of gunshots near Robinson’s residence. After arriving on scene, officers heard shots coming from Robinson’s residence, and they later observed him walk out of the residence with a rifle. A shelter-in-place order was given, and SWAT teams and crisis negotiators were called to the scene. After a standoff that lasted approximately five hours, Robinson was taken into custody. At the scene, officers located a Diamondback Firearms DB-15 rifle and numerous rounds of ammunition. Robinson, as a convicted felon, was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. The Appleton Police Department investigated the case, which Assistant United States Attorney Alexander E. Duros prosecuted in United States District Court. # # # For Additional Information Contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov 414-297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office, Joined by State and Local Agencies, to Host Summer One-Stop Reentry Resource Fair at The War Memorial in Baltimore on Wednesday, July 19, 2023

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – On Wednesday, July 19, 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, the U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Office, and the Maryland Division of Parole and Probation, will sponsor a one-stop reentry resource fair that will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Baltimore War Memorial, 101 N. Gay Street, Baltimore, MD . More than 40 organizations, including at least 20 employers, will be on-site offering support, assistance and resources to returning citizens and justice-involved persons, including in the areas of employment, job training, educational opportunities, health services, transitional housing, expungement help and more. This reentry resource and job fair is a component of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s violent crime reduction strategy. In addition to the office’s enforcement efforts to remove violent criminals with guns from our communities, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has initiated a number of outreach, intervention and prevention efforts to support and invest in communities plagued by violence, such as this reentry resource fair. 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: Albuquerque Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison for 5 Bank Robberies

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigations’ Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Jason Smeltzer was sentenced to 27 months in prison. Smeltzer, 41, of Albuquerque, pled guilty to 5 counts of bank robbery on March 22, 2023. According to court documents, between Jan. 20 and Feb. 23 of 2022, Smeltzer robbed four Albuquerque banks, one of which he robbed twice. On Jan. 21, the FBI received a tip through the National Threat Operation Center identifying Smeltzer as a possible suspect. Following the fifth robbery on Feb. 23, Robbery Detectives from the Albuquerque Police Department initiated surveillance on Smeltzer’s residence and observed Smeltzer wearing clothes consistent with the description given to them by a teller at the bank. When Smeltzer left his residence, APD Detectives initiated a traffic stop and Smeltzer was taken into custody. Upon his release from prison, Smeltzer will be subject to 3 years supervised release. The Federal Bureau of Investigations Albuquerque Violent Crimes and Gangs Task Force investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Nelson is prosecuting the case. # # # 23-155


title: CEO Of Cryptocurrency And Forex Trading Platform Sentenced To Nine Years In Prison For $240 Million Scheme To Defraud Investors

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that EDDY ALEXANDRE was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John P. Cronan to nine years in prison for engaging in commodities fraud. ALEXANDRE was the leader of a purported cryptocurrency and foreign exchange (“forex”) trading platform called EminiFX, and he defrauded over 25,000 investors in the EminiFX trading platform of more than $248 million. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Eddy Alexandre defrauded tens of thousands of ordinary investors of almost a quarter-billion dollars in his cryptocurrency investment scam. Alexandre’s fraud was brazen and included fabricating weekly investment returns of at least 5% out of thin air and falsely claiming to use artificial intelligence trading technology that did not even exist. Most egregiously, Alexandre recruited many of his investors by exploiting his position of trust within his church and the Haitian community, even going so far as to enlist members of the church to help recruit EminiFX investors. As today’s sentence demonstrates, cryptocurrency executives who lie and cheat their customers will be held to account for their crimes.” According to the allegations in the Indictment and other filings and statements made in court: From in or about September 2021, up to and including in or about May 2022, ALEXANDRE operated EminiFX, Inc. (“EminiFX”), a purported investment platform that ALEXANDRE founded, and for which he solicited more than $248 million in investments from over 25,000 individual investors. ALEXANDRE marketed EminiFX as an investment platform through which investors would earn passive income through automated investments in cryptocurrency and forex trading. ALEXANDRE offered his investors “guaranteed” high investment returns using new technology that he claimed was secret. Specifically, ALEXANDRE falsely represented to investors that they would double their money within five months of investing by earning at least 5% weekly returns on their investment using a “Robo-Advisor Assisted account” to conduct trading. ALEXANDRE referred to this technology as his “trade secret” and refused to tell investors what the technology was. Each week, EminiFX’s website falsely represented to investors that they had earned at least 5% on their investment, which they could withdraw or re-invest. In truth and in fact, and as ALEXANDRE well knew, EminiFX did not earn 5% weekly returns for its investors. ALEXANDRE did not even invest a substantial portion of the investor funds entrusted to him, and ALEXANDRE sustained millions of dollars in losses on the limited portion of funds that he did invest, which he did not disclose to his investors. Instead of using investors’ funds as he had promised, ALEXANDRE also misdirected at least approximately $14,700,000 to his personal bank account. For example, ALEXANDRE used $155,000 in investor funds to purchase a BMW car for himself and spent an additional $13,000 of investor funds on car payments, including to Mercedes Benz. * * * In addition to his prison term, ALEXANDRE, 51, of Valley Stream, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay forfeiture in the amount of $248,829,276.73 and restitution in the amount of $213,639,133.53. Mr. Williams praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and also thanked the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which brought a separate civil action. This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas Folly and Jared Lenow are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Missouri Woman Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison  for the Sexual Exploitation of Children

body_text: WASHINGTON – Brittany Bailey, 34, of Columbia, Missouri, was sentenced today to 15 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release for the sexual exploitation of children, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Sarah Linden of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division. Bailey pleaded guilty, on August 25, 2021, to advertising child pornography. In addition to the prison term and supervised release, U.S. District Court Judge John D. Bates ordered Bailey to register as a sex offender for 25 years, and to pay restitution in the amount of $25,000 to the minor victims she harmed. According to court documents, in 2019, Bailey was involved with an online Internet group called “Taboo Parents.” She engaged with a person she believed to be another member of the group, but who was actually an undercover law enforcement officer. Believing that she was chatting with a pedophile, Bailey sent photographs of herself telling him she wanted him to sexually abuse the child shown in the images that she sent. Bailey went on to create other online chat group dedicated to exchanging child sexual abuse material, and she invited users to and banned users from the group. She setup rules for the members of the groups, and she told members about her sexual preferences and encouraged them to share child sex abuse material with the group. After making these comments, multiple users shared child pornography in the group chat. Bailey shared four different videos of child pornography in the chat. The videos all depicted young girls, some as young as toddlers. One month later, on May 1, 2019, agents executed a search warrant at Bailey’s residence in Columbia, Missouri. They recovered her electronic devices, including her cellular phone, which contained images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative and investigated by the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of the FBI's Washington Field Office and MPD. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, with assistance from the Kansas City Field Office’s Jefferson City Resident Agency. It was prosecuted, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri, by Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Burrell of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.


title: D.C. Man Indicted in a Six Count Federal Indictment After Deadly Carjacking Spree

body_text: WASHINGTON – Daeyon Ross, 22, of the District of Columbia, is charged by indictment alleging six criminal counts related to a carjacking spree, on July 2, 2023, that left one Maryland resident and two dogs dead. The incident, which occurred over a span of 20-30 minutes, began in Prince George’s County, Maryland, and ended in a shootout with police officers in Northeast Washington, D.C. Ross was indicted by a grand jury in the District Court for the District of Columbia on charges of: assault with intent to kill while armed; carjacking; assault on a police officer while armed; assault with a dangerous weapon; using, carrying, possessing, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence; and unlawful possession of a firearm by a person previously convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment of more than one year. According to the government’s evidence, the Metropolitan Police Department’s Air Support Unit (Falcon) spotted Ross driving recklessly at high speeds from Washington D.C. into Prince George’s County, Maryland. While in Prince George’s County, Ross carjacked multiple cars while armed with a stolen handgun equipped with a large capacity magazine. In the process, Ross shot to death a 56-year old off-duty Metro bus driver and two dogs. Ross proceeded to re-enter Washington D.C., where he crashed one of the carjacked vehicles in a residential neighborhood in Northeast D.C. Ross then used his handgun to carjack yet another vehicle from a D.C. resident who was returning from church. Ross attempted to flee again before crashing into Maryland law enforcement officers that had continued to pursue him from Maryland into D.C. Ross then opened fire on law enforcement. Officers returned fire and Ross surrendered shortly thereafter. Neither Ross nor the officers were harmed in the shootout. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin F. Song and Alec Levy of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office's Violent Crime Task Force, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the Prince George's County Police Department. It is brought with the assistance of and in coordination with the Prince George's County State's Attorney's Office. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Former Nebraska Woman Sentenced in Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan T. Lehr announced that Shanda Daniels, 35, formerly of Trenton, Nebraska was sentenced today in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of actual methamphetamine. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Daniels to 60 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After her release from prison, she will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. On May 14, 2019, a confidential informant (CI) arranged to purchase one ounce of methamphetamine from Shanda Daniels. The CI traveled to Daniels’s residence in Trenton. The CI entered the house and contacted Daniels and an unknown male. This unknown male was later identified as Westleigh Miesner. Miesner weighed out the methamphetamine. The lab results showed 13 grams of actual methamphetamine. On December 2, 2022, Miesner was sentenced to 66 months’ imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


title: Derry Man Charged in Connection with Importing, Manufacturing, and Distributing Steroids

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Derry man has been charged in connection with importing, manufacturing, and distributing steroids, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Ralph Cardarelli, 44, was charged with distribution or possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and causing a drug to become misbranded after shipment in interstate commerce. Cardarelli will make an initial appearance in federal court on July 17, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. According to the charging documents, during the execution of a search warrant at Cardarelli’s residence on March 23, 2023, federal investigations discovered over 4800 vials and bottles of suspected controlled substances and prescription drugs, including: Nandrolone Phenylpropionate; Trenbolone Acetate; Dromostanolone Propionate; Boldenone Undecylenate; Testosterone Propionate; Trenbolone Enanthate; Nandrolone Decanoate; Testosterone Enanthate; and Testosterone Cypionate. These drugs are commonly known as steroids. Evidence was also discovered through the search warrant that Cardarelli was importing these drugs, manufacturing, and packaging them in his residence, and dispensing the drugs without requiring a prescription. The charge of distribution or possession with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, at least 2 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $500,000.00. The charge of causing a drug to become misbranded after shipment in interstate commerce provides for a sentence of up to 1 year in prison and a fine of up to $1,000.00. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. The Food and Drug Administration – Office of Criminal Investigations led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Derry Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Ward is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Canonsburg Man Indicted for Violating the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act

body_text: PITTSBURGH – A resident of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh for violating the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan and Washington County District Attorney Jason Walsh announced today. The one-count Indictment named Rodney Thomas, 50, as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment, Thomas shot and killed a mature bald eagle with an air rifle on or about May 12, 2023, in Mt. Pleasant, Pennsylvania. “This Office remains committed to investigating and prosecuting environmental and wildlife offenses under federal law, including the unlawful killing of bald eagles—the United States’ national bird since 1782,” said U.S. Attorney Eric G. Olshan. “This prosecution is the result of strong coordination with our state and local partners at the Washington County District Attorney’s Office, the Pennsylvania Game Commission, and the Mt. Pleasant Township Police Department.” “The bald eagle is our national bird and is widely known as being symbolic of our independence as a country,” said Washington County District Attorney Jason Walsh. “A symbolic species such as the bald eagle deserves our protection. My office, along with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Pennsylvania Game Commission, and the Mt. Pleasant Police Department worked diligently coordinating with each other to identify and charge the individual responsible and bring him to justice.” The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to one year in prison, a fine of up to $5,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Nicole A. Stockey is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service, along with investigators from the Mt. Pleasant Township Police Department, the Washington County District Attorney’s Office, and the Pennsylvania State Game Commission, conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Okmulgee Resident Sentenced For Sexual Abuse, Federal Firearms And Immigration Offenses

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

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Edgar Rene Garcia-Limon, age 36, was sentenced to life in prison for Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country and Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian Country, 120 months in prison for Felon in Possession of Firearm, and 24 months in prison for Illegal Reentry of Previously Removed Alien. The sentences run concurrently. The charges arose from investigations by the Tulsa Police Department, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. On May 18, 2022, a federal jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts after a two-day trial. During the trial, the United States presented evidence that the defendant sexually abused a female child under the age of eleven over a span of seven years. The United States also presented evidence that the defendant, a felon, was in possession of two firearms. Finally, the United States presented evidence that the defendant illegally returned to the United States from Mexico after having been previously removed from the United States in July 2019. The crimes occurred in Okmulgee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma. “The abuse suffered at the hands of the defendant will have long-lasting effects on his victim, and there is no question the sentencing is just,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to aggressively pursue the most serious crimes in Indian Country and create safer communities for all Oklahomans.” “This defendant’s predatory behavior shattered the innocence of an unsuspecting child,” said HSI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Lester R. Hayes, Jr. “No amount of prison time can restore what was lost by the victim. Thankfully, due to the collaborative efforts of our law enforcement partners, this defendant will be spending the remainder of his life behind bars.” “Heinous isn’t a strong enough adjective to describe the crimes that were perpetrated by Mr. Limon-Garcia. He is every law-abiding citizen’s worst nightmare. I am thankful that ATF was able to do a small part to keep this diabolical man behind iron bars for the rest of his life” stated ATF Dallas Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II. “The defendant received the punishment he deserved,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “After hearing the evidence gathered during a lengthy investigation, the jury rendered its verdicts, and now the judge has handed down appropriate punishment. For years, the defendant terrorized and sexually abused an innocent child, and now he will spend the rest of his life behind bars.” The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the sentencing hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Garcia-Limon will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin D. Traster represented the United States.


title: Saratoga Man Sentenced for Money Laundering Conspiracy

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Michael J. Smith, age 62, of Saratoga, New York, was sentenced today to 5 years of probation for conspiring to launder money. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (USDOL-OIG), North East Region; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Postal Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Boston Division, made the announcement. In previously pleading guilty, Smith admitted to conspiring with a purported woman he met online and her purported attorney to launder over $200,000 in fraudulently obtained government benefits between June 2020 and May 2022. The benefits mostly came from COVID-19 relief programs and were obtained through fraudulent unemployment insurance applications and fraudulent business loan applications. The benefits were deposited into Smith’s bank account by government entities in several states, including Ohio, Illinois, Maryland, Colorado, California, and Pennsylvania, and sent to him by check and on debit cards. To launder the funds after he received them, Smith purchased gift cards with the fraud proceeds, took photographs of the gift cards, and sent the photographs to the purported woman and her purported attorney. He also transferred fraud proceeds to his co-conspirators. Smith was also ordered to pay $208,263.22 in restitution to the defrauded government entities. The case was investigated by HSI, USDOL-OIG, USPIS, and the New York State Police, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyrus P.W. Rieck. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: Jury Convicts Former San Francisco Public Utilities Commission General Manager of Felony Bribery and Bank Fraud Charges

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – A federal jury today convicted Harlan Kelly, the former General Manager of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (PUC) of charges that he accepted bribes and gifts from a local businessman in a scheme to provide confidential information about the city public bidding process and steer city contracts to that person’s businesses, announced First Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Robbins, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp, and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Special Agent in Charge Darren Lian. The verdict follows a two-week trial before United States Chief District Judge Richard Seeborg. Kelly, 61, of San Francisco, was arrested on a criminal complaint in November 2020, and he was tried on charges contained in a May 31, 2022, superseding indictment that included charges of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and honest services wire fraud. The superseding indictment also included charges of false statements to a bank, conspiracy to make false statements to a bank, bank fraud, and bank fraud conspiracy, related to a scheme to defraud Quicken Loans in connection with a $1.3 million mortgage refinance loan obtained by Kelly. Kelly was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, one count of honest services wire fraud, and all four counts related to the bank fraud scheme. The jury found Kelly not guilty of two honest services wire fraud counts. The charges against, and prosecution of, Kelly grew out of a years-long investigation into bribery and public corruption in San Francisco city government, led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and IRS-CI. To date, 13 individuals have been charged in connection that larger set of investigations, including Mohammed Nuru, former director of the San Francisco Public Works department, and multiple city contractors and other facilitators of bribes and corruption. The evidence at trial showed that Kelly, appointed in 2012 as General Manager of the San Francisco PUC, had access to confidential information about city contract bidding processes, and the ability to influence the awarding of some city contracts. Documents and testimony showed that Kelly had a close personal and professional relationship with San Francisco business owner and contractor Walter Wong, and that during the time Wong both conducted business with the city and sought additional lucrative contracts to supply the PUC with LED streetlights. While he was doing business with the city and seeking contracts, Wong provided numerous gifts, benefits, and bribes to Kelly. These bribes including discounted construction work on Kelly’s personal residence and a lavish international trip hosted by and in part paid for by Wong. Evidence showed that Wong paid travel and personal expenses for Kelly and his family during a March 2016 Kelly family vacation to Hong Kong, Macau, and China, and that Wong paid for hotel expenses and incidentals such as meals and luxury excursions. Wong has previously pleaded guilty to charges that he engaged in an honest services fraud conspiracy in connection with his interactions with Kelly and others. The evidence at trial showed that as part of the bribery conspiracy, Kelly provided confidential information and documents about the details of bids submitted by other contractors, including proprietary pricing and cost information, and information and documents with internal notes about how city employees in the PUC were evaluating and rating the bidders. The evidence showed that Kelly delivered these documents to Wong and his associates in violation of Kelly’s fiduciary obligations to the city and its residents, and that the confidential information assisted Wong and his company in improving Wong’s chances to obtain the contract award. Trial evidence also showed that Kelly defrauded Quicken Loans, a financial institution, in a $1.3 million dollar real estate mortgage loan provided to Kelly. The evidence at trial showed that Kelly worked with an associate, prominent city businessman and property manager Victor Makras, to mislead the bank. According to the evidence, in the application for the loan Kelly falsely represented that he had a $915,000 mortgage and concealed the true nature of his debts from Quicken. According to the trial evidence, these misrepresentations were material to the bank’s evaluation of the borrower and the loan. The outstanding debts that Kelly concealed from Quicken included a construction debt owed to the contractor, Walter Wong that amounted to about $89,000. Another debt concealed from the company was a $70,000 unsecured personal loan made by Makras to Kelly, a result of Makras directly paying Kelly’s credit card debt in order to conceal the fact that Kelly received this loan from Makras. Co-defendant Makras, 64 of San Francisco, was also charged in the May 31, 2022 superseding indictment, and was convicted of making false statements to a bank and bank fraud at a separate trial in August 2022. The federal jury today convicted Kelly of the following: • One count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343, 1346, and 1349, which carries a maximum possible penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or the greater of twice the gross gain or gross loss • One count of honest services wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343 and 1346, which carries a maximum possible penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or the greater of twice the gross gain or gross loss • One count of making false statements to a bank in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1014, which carries a maximum possible penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine • One count of conspiracy to make false statements to a bank in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371, which carries a maximum possible penalty of 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 • One count of bank fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1344(1),(2), which carries a maximum possible penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of $1,000,000, or not more than the greater of twice the gross gain or gross loss • One count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1344(1),(2) and 1349, which carries a maximum possible penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of $1,000,000, or not more than the greater of twice the gross gain or gross loss As part of any sentence, the court also may order the defendant to serve an additional period of supervised release to begin after any prison term, to pay additional penalties, and to pay restitution, if appropriate. However, any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. Defendant Kelly remains out of custody pending sentencing. No future date has yet been set. The case is being prosecuted by the Corporate and Securities Fraud Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Ward and Kristina Green prosecuted the case at trial with the assistance of Tina Rosenbaum. The case is being investigated by the FBI and the IRS-CI.


title: Former San Francisco Senior Building Inspector Sentenced to Prison Term for Accepting Illegal Gratuities

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – Bernard Curran, a former San Francisco Senior Building Inspector, was sentenced today to serve a year and a day in prison in connection with charges that he accepted cash payments and charitable donations from developers and property owners whose projects Curran had responsibility for approving, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. The sentence was handed down by United States Senior District Judge Susan Illston. Curran, 62, of San Francisco, pleaded guilty to the charges on December 9, 2022. According to his plea agreement, Curran acknowledged that he was a Building Inspector for the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection (“DBI”) in 2005, and in approximately 2009, was promoted to Senior Building Inspector. As a Senior Building Inspector, Curran was responsible for conducting physical inspections of buildings and construction sites in San Francisco to verify that construction or renovation work had been completed according to approved permits and plans. Curran admitted that after he became a Senior Building Inspector, he received improper financial benefits in connection with his employment. “San Francisco government officials must always work with the public’s best interest in mind and rebuff invitations for corrupt personal gain,” said U.S. Attorney Ramsey. “Curran is not the first, and he will not be the last, defendant sentenced in rooting out corruption in San Francisco. Today’s sentence makes clear that officials who abuse the public trust will serve time in federal custody.” “Bernard Curran chose to line his own pockets instead of performing his duties with integrity,” said Special Agent In Charge Robert K. Tripp. “That’s not a small lapse: building inspectors ensure our new construction is safe, and play a key role in creating new housing and businesses that make San Francisco a vibrant place to live and work. Curran’s time in prison should be a stark warning to all that if you’re a public servant who takes a bribe, you will be held to account.” According to his plea agreement, Curran admitted that he received cash payments from a San Francisco developer “in connection with and as rewards for” the inspections that he conducted or for the approvals that Curran granted as an inspector. In addition, Curran admitted that he accepted what amounted to a $260,000 interest-free loan from the same developer, $30,000 of which was never paid back. Curran admitted that he understood the developer never required the outstanding $30,000 balance to be repaid, “in part due to our friendship, but also in connection with and as a reward for conducting past and future inspections,” on the developer’s projects. Further, Curran admitted that in 2021, the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office investigated potential conflicts of interest related to his employment and, in response, Curran falsely certified that the loan he received was not from the developer, but rather was from a relative and had been issued at a 6% interest rate. Curran admitted that he submitted this false statement in an effort to deceive the City officials. In addition to the improper gifts from the developer, Curran also admitted in his plea agreement that he accepted illegal gifts from co-defendant Rodrigo Santos. Santos, a licensed civil engineer, worked with project owners and contractors seeking building permits in San Francisco. Curran admitted that between May of 2017 and April of 2020, Santos asked some of his San Francisco clients to make “charitable” donations in connection with inspections that Curran conducted. Specifically, Curran was a volunteer for, and supporter of, a non-profit organization and Santos instructed his clients to write checks for the organization. Curran admitted that on several occasions Santos discussed with Curran the checks that his clients donated while also asking for official action to be taken on specific projects. Curran admitted that the government could prove that between May of 2017 and April of 2019, Santos’s clients wrote $9,600 in donations from 13 clients and that Curran took at least one official action for all 13 of the donors. On November 28, 2022, Curran was charged by superseding information with two counts of accepting illegal gratuities, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 666(a)(1)(B). Curran pleaded guilty to both counts. In addition to the prison term, Judge Illston sentenced Curran to two years of supervised release following his prison term. The court set a further hearing on September 8, 2023, to determine the amount of restitution that Curran must pay to DBI to compensate the agency for the costs of an internal audit of projects that Curran inspected. DBI initiated the audit after the charges in this case The case is being prosecuted by the Special Prosecutions Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The case is being investigated by the FBI and the IRS-CI.


title: Nigerian National Extradited from South Africa for Cyber Fraud Scheme Targeting Tulsa Company

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – Sunday Daniel Ganyo, 37, a Nigerian national, made his initial appearance in federal court Friday, after being extradited from South Africa pursuant to a 2020 federal criminal complaint alleging his involvement in a cyber fraud scheme targeting companies in Tulsa and North Carolina. Ganyo faces charges for conspiracy; transportation of stolen goods; means of identification fraud; trafficking in false means of identification; identity theft conspiracy and attempt; aggravated identity theft; mail fraud; wire fraud; and attempt and conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. “Identity theft and computer fraud have a lasting impact on the financial health of the victims and society,” said U.S. Attorney Clinton Johnson. “We are committed to bringing cyber criminals that target Oklahoma companies to justice, even when they hide behind stolen identities across the world and operate in the shadows of cyberspace.” “The FBI has a long tradition of protecting American companies from these types of schemes and bringing those responsible to justice, no matter where they are located,” said FBI, Oklahoma City, Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “I’m grateful for the dedicated partnership of the South African authorities to find and arrest Mr. Ganyo, so that he may face charges here in Oklahoma.” According to court documents, Ganyo is alleged to have sent a computer services company in Tulsa a spoofed email using a fraudulently acquired identity and arranged for the purchase of approximately $400,000 worth of Microsoft Surface Pro Tablets. The fraudulent email was successful, and an order was processed and shipped to a company in Raleigh, North Carolina. Ganyo is alleged to have sent a second spoofed email to the North Carolina company, impersonating the Tulsa company, claiming the order was in error and that someone would retrieve the shipment. The shipment was then retrieved from the North Carolina company, repackaged, and prepared for shipment to South Africa by an unknown coconspirator. However, the FBI was able to intercept the shipment in Memphis, Tennessee, and replace the contents with dummy goods and a tracking device. A controlled delivery was then executed in Johannesburg, South Africa and the defendant was arrested by partners with the South African Police Service. Investigation continues into Ganyo’s possible involvement in similar cyber fraud schemes in other parts of the country. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in South Africa to secure the arrest and extradition of Ganyo. The FBI is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Nassar and Thomas Buscemi are prosecuting the case. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Members of the public are reminded to be extremely cautious while conducting business on the internet. Check sender emails and URL addresses for irregularities. Use a full-service internet security site that protects your information. Use strong passwords by incorporating at least 10 letters, numbers, and symbols. Keep your software updated because criminals exploit known software flaws. Manage your social media settings and be careful what you share. For instance, if you share your pets name or reveal where you and your spouse met, you might expose the answers to two common security questions. Secure your home network and public networks by using a virtual private network (VPN). Finally, don’t provide personal information to unsolicited individuals or messages. Most business won’t reach out and ask for personal information by phone or email. If they do, tell them you will call them back. Then call the main number to inquire about the request. If you believe you have been a victim of fraud report it to your local police.


title: International Cyber Fraudster Sentenced to More Than 8 Years in Federal Prison

component: Criminal - Office of International Affairs

body_text: CHICAGO — A resident of the United Arab Emirates who orchestrated an $8 million cyber fraud scheme targeting several United States-based companies has been sentenced to more than eight years in a U.S. prison. OLALEKAN JACOB PONLE, also known as “Mr. Woodbery,” and “Mark Kain,” 31, was living in the UAE in 2019 when he worked with co-schemers to engage in numerous business email compromise schemes. The co-schemers used phishing links to gain unauthorized access to email accounts and then created false instructions directing employees of the victim companies to wire money to bank accounts opened by money mules at Ponle’s direction. The fraudulent emails often claimed to be from the company or a known business contact and were nearly identical to prior legitimate emails sent over the company’s email account. After unwitting employees wired money, in some cases millions of dollars, to the bank accounts, Ponle instructed the money mules to convert the proceeds to Bitcoin and send them to him. As a result of Ponle’s scheme, victim companies suffered more than $8.03 million in actual losses and more than $51.3 million in intended losses. One of the victim companies was based in Chicago, while others were located in Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, New York, California, and elsewhere. Ponle is a Nigerian national who was arrested in June 2020 by law enforcement in the UAE. He was subsequently expelled from the UAE into the custody of the FBI and arrived in Chicago the following month. He pleaded guilty earlier this year to a federal wire fraud charge. U.S. District Judge Robert W. Gettleman on July 11, 2023, sentenced Ponle to eight years and four months in federal prison. Ponle was ordered to pay more than $8.03 million in restitution to the victim companies and forfeit numerous luxury items purchased with proceeds traceable to the fraud scheme, including a Rolls Royce Cullinan, Lamborghini Urus, Mercedes-Benz G-Class AMG G55, and Rolex and Patek Philippe watches. Ponle previously forfeited to the government 151 bitcoin, which were also derived from proceeds traceable to the fraud scheme. The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Dubai, UAE Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melody Wells of the Northern District of Illinois represented the government.


title: Recidivist Sex Offender Sentenced to Time Served After Pleading Guilty to Possession Child Pornography in Two Separate Cases

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico announced today that Thomas Crosby was sentenced to 5 days in prison or time served. Crosby, 29, of Irwin, Pennsylvania, pled guilty in federal court to the possession of visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct in two separate cases on Sept. 14, 2022. According to the plea agreement and other court records, on June 20, 2018, PayPal reported seven accounts potentially selling child pornography and numerous accounts purchasing content from the noted sellers. One such buyer was identified as Crosby. PayPal identified various IP addresses utilized by Crosby and provided them to the FBI. Special Agents from the FBI checked the IP addresses in the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) database and were able to determine that they were actively downloading child pornography on the BitTorrent network around the same dates Crosby logged into PayPal. At the time of the offense, Crosby was a member of the United States Air Force assigned to Cannon Air Force Base near Clovis, NM. On November 14, 2018, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant on Crosby’s address in Clovis. Crosby was subsequently interviewed by agents of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations and the FBI and admitted to downloading child pornography via BitTorrent. Crosby was administratively discharged from the Air Force as a result and returned to the Pittsburgh area in the Western District of Pennsylvania. Crosby was indicted by a federal grand jury in the District of New Mexico on Sept. 23, 2020. After Crosby was indicted in the District of New Mexico in September 2020 for possessing child pornography, the FBI executed an arrest warrant near Monroeville, Pennsylvania. At the time of his arrest, Crosby admitted to continuing to view child pornography after leaving New Mexico despite law enforcement intervention. A search of Crosby’s phone uncovered additional items of child pornography. As a result, Crosby was federally indicted on Feb. 1, 2022, in the Western District of Pennsylvania for the additional child pornography offenses. On Sept. 19, 2022, after the Pennsylvania case was transferred to New Mexico, Crosby pled guilty in federal court to the possession of visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct in both cases. The United States Sentencing Guideline range for Crosby’s offense was 78-97 months in prison, supervised release for 5 years to life, and a requirement to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. On July 13, 2023, Crosby appeared in District Court for sentencing in both cases. The United States recommended that he receive a sentence of 78-months incarceration. Crosby was sentenced to time served, or 5 days in prison, 15 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $12,000. One of the conditions of Crosby’s supervised release is that he be on GPS monitoring with home detention, which allows him to leave his residence for work, appointments, and with the express permission of his Probation Officer for five years. He will also be required to register as a sex offender. The New Mexico case was investigated by the Las Cruces Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations with assistance from the New Mexico Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory.


title: Springfield Man Convicted of Sex Trafficking a Minor He Solicited Over Facebook

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Springfield man has been convicted by a federal jury for sex trafficking of a minor under 14 years old. Carlos Casillas, 51, was convicted on July 14, 2023 following a three-day jury trial of one count of sex trafficking of a minor. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled by the court. In September 2021, an investigation began into Casillas for sex trafficking activity involving a 13-year-old girl living in a group home in the custody of the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families. Evidence presented at trial established that Casillas solicited the minor victim using Facebook messenger, picked the minor victim up from her group home and eventually took her to a local motel. “Carlos Casillas preyed on a vulnerable 13-year-old girl in state custody. His conduct was beyond horrific and now he will face the lengthy sentence of incarceration the law requires for sex trafficking of a minor. This office and the incredibly dedicated federal, state and local law enforcement partners we work with will never cease in our efforts to protect children from sexual exploitation,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Casillas preyed upon a child in a vulnerable situation. Now, he has been convicted of trafficking a minor and is facing a significant federal sentence. Homeland Security Investigations works every day to bring predators like Casillas to justice and to help connect victims to assistance to heal and move forward,” said Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New England. Members of the public who believe they, or someone they know, may be a victim of this crime should contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov. If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please visit https://polarisproject.org/ for information and resources. The charge of sex trafficking of a minor under 14 years old provides for a sentence of at least 15 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; HSI Acting SAC Krol; Hampden County District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni; Hampden County Sheriff Nicholas Cocchi; and West Springfield Police Chief Ronald Campurciani made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Catherine G. Curley and Deepika Bains Shukla of the Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Iowa Man Sentenced to Nearly 11 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Heroin and Methamphetamine in Northwest Illinois

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: ROCKFORD — An Iowa man has been sentenced to nearly eleven years in federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine and heroin in northwest Illinois. CORDERO DAVIS, 36, of Dubuque, Iowa, pleaded guilty earlier this year to knowingly and intentionally possessing nearly 900 grams of methamphetamine and more than 50 grams of heroin with the intent to distribute. U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston on Thursday sentenced Davis to 130 months in federal prison. On June 28, 2022, an officer with the Jo Daviess County Sheriff’s Office stopped Davis’s vehicle. Davis failed to produce any identification and then provided a false name and date of birth to the officer. The officer confirmed Davis’s true identity and discovered that Davis’s driver’s license was suspended. The officer also discovered an arrest warrant pending against Davis from Cook County, Ill. The officer arrested Davis and discovered the controlled substances during a search of his vehicle. The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Sheila G. Lyons, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The Jo Daviess County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Maveus.


title: Tohatchi Man Pleads Guilty to Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Donavan Henry pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter in Indian Country. Henry, 40, of Tohatchi, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain on conditions of release pending sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled. Henry’s conditions include a strict prohibition on drug and alcohol use, drug and alcohol testing, and substance-abuse treatment. According to court documents, on November 2, 2022, Henry was driving east on Route 134 in Sheep Springs, New Mexico, with two passengers when he lost control of his vehicle. The vehicle went off the two-lane road and flipped when it hit a boulder. All three passengers were ejected from the vehicle. A Navajo Police officer arrived to find Henry underneath the vehicle and his passengers lying on the ground near the vehicle. Henry was airlifted to San Juan Regional Medical Center. The passenger from the front seat, John Doe 1, who was also a member of the Navajo Nation, was placed in an ambulance bound for Northern Navajo Medical Center. The passenger from the back seat, John Doe 2, was placed in an ambulance going to Gallup Indian Medical Center. John Doe 1 died of his injuries while in the back of the ambulance before it left the scene. Henry’s blood-alcohol content, which was drawn at the hospital following the wreck, was .16. At sentencing, Henry faces a statutory maximum of up to eight years in prison. The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator. Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Jones is prosecuting the case. # # # 23-152


title: Schenectady Felon Sentenced to 72 Months for Possessing Fentanyl and Cocaine Base for Distribution, and for Possessing Firearms in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Charles J. Whorley, age 35, formerly of Schenectady, New York, was sentenced today to 72 months in prison for possessing and intending to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base, and for possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and New York State Police (NYSP) Acting Superintendent Steven A. Nigrelli. In pleading guilty, Whorley admitted to distributing a fentanyl mixture on several dates in June 2020, and to possessing 94 grams of fentanyl and 77 grams of cocaine base, which he intended to distribute, at his residence in Schenectady, on June 25, 2020. Whorley, a previously convicted felon, further admitted to possessing three loaded handguns at his residence to protect drugs and the cash generated from drug sales. United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also ordered that Whorley serve a 3-year term of supervised release following his release from prison. This case was investigated by the NYSP and ATF with assistance provided by the Schenectady County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet O’Hanlon prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.


title: Three Men Pled Guilty to Federal Charges Involving Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises at Motel in Albuquerque

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Gregory M. Millard, Special Agent in Charge for the DEA El Paso Division, announced today that Kamal Bhula, Pragneshkumar Patel and Johnathan Craft pled guilty to drug and firearms charges arising from a drug trafficking venture run out of a motel Albuquerque. Bhula and Craft will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. Kamal Bhula, 44, of Albuquerque, and Pragneshkumar “Pete” Patel, 36, of Montgomery, Alabama, pled guilty to one count each of maintaining a drug-involved premise. Jonathan Craft, 36, of Albuquerque, pled guilty to conspiracy and being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm or ammunition. A federal grand jury indicted Bhula and Craft on June 20, 2019. Patel was indicted on November 5, 2019. According to court records, Patel owned the Best Choice Inn at 7640 Central Avenue SE and was the on-site manager from September 2017 to March 2018, when Bhula leased the property from Patel and took over as the on-site manager. Craft lived and worked at Best Choice Inn, claiming to be in charge when Bhula was away. Craft sold drugs from his room, permitted others to do the same, and permitted individuals to use drugs on the premises. Craft also unlawfully possessed a firearm. Bhula and Patel allowed drug trafficking at the motel and personally observed and profited from those who used controlled substances on the premises. At sentencing, Bhula, Craft and Patel each face up to 20 years in prison. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case with assistance from the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office, the Albuquerque Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office and New Mexico State Police. Assistant United States Attorneys Letitia Carroll Simms and Jack E. Burkhead are prosecuting the case.


title: Pinellas County Man Sentenced For Wire And Bank Fraud Offenses

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Kathryn K. Mizelle has sentenced James John Melis (54, Largo) to four years and three months in federal prison for bank fraud and wire fraud. As part of his sentence, the court entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $439,177, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct. The court also ordered Melis to pay $684,000 in restitution, which represents the loss amount of the offenses. Melis had pleaded guilty on March 20, 2023. According to court documents, Melis was involved in two fraud schemes. In the first, Melis abused his position as business manager at a private school in Hillsborough County by fraudulently attaching his personal bank account to one of the school’s financial accounts. When parents made tuition payments, Melis initiated fraudulent electronic funds transfers to his personal account. He then spent the stolen funds on travel and luxury items, including jewelry. In the second scheme, Melis carried out a mortgage origination fraud against a financial institution for two properties that he owned. To deceive the lender into believing that he was a qualified borrower, Melis used the personal identification information of another person on loan applications, and prepared and submitted false and fraudulent IRS income tax returns, fictitious satisfactions of mortgages falsely representing that his properties had equity, and bogus lease agreements falsely showing he received substantial rental income. Based on Melis’s misrepresentations, the financial institution approved and funded both mortgage loans. The mortgage loans were purchased and guaranteed by Fannie Mae. This case was investigated by the Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General and Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor. Assistant United States Attorney James A. Muench is handling the forfeiture.


title: U.S. Departments of Justice and Commerce and the European Commission Reaffirm Shared Values, Welcome Finalized EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Attorney General Merrick B. Garland hosted Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders for a meeting at the Justice Department today marking the European Union (EU)’s recognition of the adequacy of the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework (DPF). “The EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework reflects the strength of the partnership between the United States and the European Union as well as our shared commitment to upholding the rule of law, protecting individual privacy, and keeping the public safe,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “We are grateful to our European partners for the years of work and cooperation that brought us to this point, and we look forward to continuing our work together to implement these important new data privacy safeguards.” “The DPF is a testament to the strength of the U.S.-EU relationship, and it reflects our joint commitment to promoting economic opportunity while protecting individual privacy rights,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “Now, businesses – large and small – will be able to access a streamlined and affordable mechanism to transfer data between our jurisdictions. To meet the needs of businesses, the Commerce Department launched the DPF program website today, giving companies a one-stop-shop where they can sign up for the DPF program and get important information about its benefits.” “The EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework represents a significant achievement for safe and trusted transatlantic data flows,” said European Commissioner for Justice Reynders. “The new framework guarantees the fundamental right of Europeans for the protection of their personal data and brings legal certainty for companies on both sides of the Atlantic. Today’s meeting is the result of months of intense negotiations based on shared values and trust with my U.S. counterparts. It shows the EU and the U.S. are like-minded partners that can work together to find solid solutions to complex issues.” Last week, the Departments of Justice and Commerce welcomed the European Commission’s adequacy decision for the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, to which President Biden and European Commission President von der Leyen agreed in March 2022. Transatlantic data flows underpin more than $7 trillion in cross-border trade and investment per year and create greater economic opportunities for companies and citizens on both sides of the Atlantic. The DPF will be a valuable tool for businesses of all sizes, including small and medium, that are participating in the transatlantic economy, providing an affordable and straightforward means of transferring personal data consistent with EU law. The adoption of the adequacy decision on July 10 by the European Commission establishes a basis in EU law for the transfer of personal data from EU countries to the United States by businesses in both America and Europe using the DPF. This determination will also facilitate transfers through other EU legal mechanisms, including Standard Contractual Clauses and Binding Corporate Rules. The EU’s adoption of the adequacy decision was made possible by the fulfillment of the commitments the United States made in the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework (EU-U.S. DPF), announced by Presidents Biden and von der Leyen in March 2022: On Oct. 7, 2022, President Biden issued Executive Order 14086 on Enhancing Safeguards for United States Signals Intelligence Activities, which bolstered an already rigorous array of privacy and civil liberties safeguards for U.S. signals intelligence activities. It also created an independent and binding mechanism enabling individuals in qualifying states, as designated under the Executive Order, to seek redress if they believe their personal data was collected through U.S. signals intelligence in a manner that violated applicable U.S. law. Also on Oct. 7, 2022, and pursuant to that Executive Order, Attorney General Garland signed a new regulation establishing a Data Protection Review Court (DPRC). The DPRC will independently review determinations made by the Civil Liberties Protection Officer of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence in response to qualifying complaints sent by individuals through appropriate public authorities that allege certain violations of U.S. law in the conduct of U.S. signals intelligence activities. On June 30, Attorney General Garland designated the EU and the three additional countries making up the European Economic Area (EEA) as “qualifying states” – contingent on the adoption of an adequacy decision – for purposes of implementing the redress mechanism established under Executive Order 14086. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence confirmed on July 3, that U.S. intelligence agencies have adopted implementing procedures as required by the Executive Order.


title: U.S. Attorney Thompson to Announce Human Trafficking Training Initiative for Educators and Social Workers

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson will hold a press conference on Tuesday, July 18, 2023, at 10 a.m. at the Robert C. Byrd United States Courthouse to announce new training tools to help better identify and report human trafficking and rescue child victims. The U.S. Attorney’s Office partnered with the West Virginia State Police and the West Virginia Center for Children’s Justice to create training videos specifically for teachers and child protective services workers. Leaders from those organizations will join Thompson for the announcement along with officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the West Virginia Department of Education, the West Virginia Board of Education, the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, the West Virginia Fusion Center, and Cabell, Kanawha, Mercer and Wayne county schools. WHAT: Announcement of new human trafficking training initiative WHEN: Tuesday, July 18, 2023, at 10 a.m. WHERE: Robert C. Byrd United States Courthouse, 300 Virginia Street East, Charleston. 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. ###