title: CEO Of Artificial Intelligence Startup Company Charged With Defrauding Investors

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James E. Dennehy, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging JOANNA SMITH-GRIFFIN with securities fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft in connection with defrauding investors in AllHere Education, Inc., the startup artificial intelligence education technology company she founded, out of millions of dollars. SMITH-GRIFFIN was arrested earlier today in the Eastern District of North Carolina and will be presented this afternoon before a magistrate judge in that district. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Joanna Smith-Griffin orchestrated a deliberate and calculated scheme to deceive investors in AllHere Education, Inc., inflating the company’s financials to secure millions of dollars under false pretenses. The law does not turn a blind eye to those who allegedly distort financial realities for personal gain.” FBI Assistant Director in Charge James E. Dennehy said: “Joanna Smith-Griffin allegedly misrepresented the composition of her startup company to defraud investors of millions and masqueraded as a financial consultant to perpetuate the scheme once discrepancies were discovered. Her alleged actions impacted the potential for improved learning environments across major school districts by selfishly prioritizing personal expenses. The FBI will ensure that any individual exploiting the promise of educational opportunities for our city’s children will be taught a lesson.” According to the allegations in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court: [1] From at least in or about November 2020 through at least in or about June 2024 , SMITH‑GRIFFIN engaged in a scheme to defraud investors in AllHere Education, Inc. (“AllHere”), an educational technology startup she founded at Harvard that sold artificial intelligence software designed to increase classroom attendance and engagement in K-12 school districts. Beginning as early as AllHere’s Series A financing round in November 2020 and continuing through the collapse of the company in June 2024, SMITH-GRIFFIN misrepresented AllHere’s revenue, customer base, and cash to her investors. For example, in the spring of 2021, SMITH-GRIFFIN told potential AllHere investors that AllHere had generated approximately $3.7 million in revenue in 2020, had approximately $2.5 million in cash on hand, and had major school district customers like the New York City Department of Education ("NYC DOE") and Atlanta Public Schools. In fact, AllHere had generated approximately $11,000 in revenue in 2020, had approximately $494,000 in cash, and did not have contracts with many of the customers it represented, including the NYC DOE and Atlanta Public Schools. SMITH-GRIFFIN’s misrepresentations continued through AllHere’s collapse, during which time she was able to obtain nearly $10 million from investors and sought an additional $35 million from a private equity investor who ultimately decided not to invest. She used some of the fraudulently obtained funds to put a down payment on her house in North Carolina and pay for her wedding. SMITH-GRIFFIN also embezzled corporate funds for her own benefit. When AllHere’s investors and outside accountant accidentally discovered the discrepancy between AllHere’s actual financials and what SMITH-GRIFFIN was telling investors, SMITH-GRIFFIN tried to cover up her crimes, going so far as to create a fake email account for AllHere’s outside financial consultant, which she used to send additional fraudulent financial documents to her largest investor. AllHere is now in Chapter 7 bankruptcy, its employees have been laid off, and AllHere is under the control of a court-appointed bankruptcy trustee. * * * SMITH-GRIFFIN, 33, of Raleigh, North Carolina, is charged with securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory sentence of two years in prison. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the FBI. This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew R. Shahabian is in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth in this release constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Southern District of Mississippi Prosecutors Charge 13% More Cases During Fiscal Year 2024 Due to the Success of the Project Safe Neighborhoods Program

component: USAO - Mississippi, Southern

body_text: Jackson, Miss. – United States Attorney Todd W. Gee announced today the results of efforts to increase federal prosecutions of violent criminals, narcotics traffickers and others during fiscal year 2024. Specifically, during fiscal year 2024, which began on October 1, 2023, and ended on September 30, 2024, prosecutors in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi charged approximately 315 cases, an increase of approximately 13% over the prior fiscal year, and approximately 451 defendants, an increase of approximately 28% over the prior fiscal year. This increase in prosecutions is due, in part, to the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN brings together federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. As part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s PSN program, federal prosecutors meet regularly with law enforcement agencies and other partners in Jackson, Meridian, Hattiesburg, Gulfport, and elsewhere in order to review local arrests that may be suitable for prosecution in federal court, discuss efforts to investigate and prosecute violent offenders, and take other steps to reduce violent crime. In addition to increasing the overall number of cases and defendants charged in fiscal year 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s PSN program helped increase the number of firearms-related cases filed by approximately 21%, and tripled the number of cases filed involving illegal machinegun conversion devices (MCDs), commonly known as “switches” or “auto sears,” which convert semi-automatic handguns and other firearms into fully automatic weapons (i.e., machineguns) in a matter of seconds. “Our office is working hard with federal, state, and local partners to reduce violent crime, narcotics trafficking and other criminal activity throughout the Southern District of Mississippi,” said U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee. “Violent criminals and drug traffickers need to get the message: move on to other careers, or get ready to spend a large portion of your life in federal prison.” Some of the case highlights from the PSN program and other violent crime and narcotics trafficking prosecutions in fiscal year 2024 include the following: U.S. v. Kylin Russell A video went viral in early 2024 in the Jackson, Mississippi area that showed a young man repeatedly firing a high caliber weapon from the window of a car towards another car at a very busy intersection in broad daylight. Weeks later, on February 9, 2024, a driver of that same car, Kylin Russell, evaded a roadblock and led officers with Capitol Police on a high-speed chase exceeding speeds of 120 miles per hour and lasting over 10 minutes. At the conclusion of the chase, he ran from police until he was caught. He discarded an AR-style firearm as he ran, and after he was detained, two handguns equipped with machine gun conversion devices (MCDs), also known as “switches,” were recovered from his vehicle. Russell pled guilty to firearms offenses and was sentenced to two years in prison. U.S. v. Rosendo Gonzalez Mora, et. al. In July 2024, five individuals with ties to Mexico pled guilty to felony offenses related to drug trafficking, firearms trafficking, and immigration offenses as a result of a law enforcement investigation involving sales of cocaine in Mississippi to purchase firearms and machine gun conversion devices for delivery to Mexico. U.S. v. Johnny Ragsdale On November 23, 2023, Johnny Ragsdale was found in possession of an illegal machinegun after an attempted traffic stop on a vehicle he was driving in Jackson. Ragsdale failed to yield to law enforcement and led Capitol Police on a high-speed chase. The chase ended after Ragsdale collided with a train car on Mill Street. A Glock pistol was recovered from the vehicle, and a machinegun conversion device (MCD), also known as a “switch,” was attached to the pistol. Ragsdale pled guilty to illegal possession of a machinegun and is awaiting sentencing. U.S. v. Damonik Shemikal Robinson On January 2, 2024, Damonik Shemikal Robinson was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped by Capitol Police for a traffic offense. Four firearms were in the vehicle, including three with attached machinegun conversion devices (MCD), also known as “switches.” Robinson admitted to owning one of two Glocks with an attached MCD that was recovered from the center console. Robinson pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and was sentenced to five years in prison. U.S. v. Marcus Powell et al. In January 2024, over forty people in the Meridian area were charged in ten separate indictments with drug trafficking crimes, including distribution of methamphetamine, cocaine and other illegal drugs. U.S. v. Jarvis Jermaine Hampton On January 12, 2024, law enforcement officers discovered methamphetamine, a machinegun, and a pill press in the Meridian residence of Jarvis Jermaine Hampton. He pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and is awaiting sentencing. U.S. v. Ernest Quintez Clark On October 20, 2023, Ernest Quintez Clark, a convicted felon, possessed a firearm while attending a football game at Meridian High School. Clark had been previously convicted of aggravated assault in Louisiana. He pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and was sentenced to 60 months in prison. U.S. v. Frederick Leshun Jones On November 28, 2023, Frederick Jones, a convicted felon, was found in possession of three firearms when members of the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Fugitive Task Force went to his Meridian home to serve an outstanding arrest warrant. Jones pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and is awaiting sentencing. U.S. v. Koda Tye Williamson On March 5, 2024, Koda Tye Williamson, a convicted felon, was found in possession of a firearm when law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at his residence in Simpson County. Williamson had previous convictions for manslaughter and methamphetamine possession. He pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and is awaiting sentencing. U.S. v. Russell David Parker On March 9, 2024, Russell David Parker, a convicted felon, was found in possession of a firearm during a traffic stop in Stone County. He pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and is awaiting sentencing. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Howe Residents Plead Guilty To Crimes Relating To Sexual Abuse Of A Minor

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Eastern

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Armondo Joseph Palma, age 22, and Brooklyn Elaine Wilson, age 27, of Howe, Oklahoma, entered guilty pleas related to the sexual abuse of a minor. Palma entered a plea of guilty to one count of Transportation of a Minor. Wilson entered a plea of guilty to four counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor and one count of Possession of Certain Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. The Indictment alleged that in December of 2023, Palma and Wilson knowingly transported an individual under the age of 18 from Oklahoma to Missouri with intent to engage in sexual activity. The Indictment further alleged that on November 2, 2023, November 9, 2023, December 4, 2023, and March 3, 2024, Wilson knowingly engaged in a sex act with a child under the age of 12 years intending to abuse, humiliate, harass, degrade, arouse, or gratify sexual desire. Additionally, the Indictment alleged that between about August of 2023 until about April of 2024, Wilson knowingly possessed a visual depiction of a minor under the age of 12 engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The crimes occurred in LeFlore County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The charges arose from an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the District 16 District Attorney’s Task Force, the Rogers County Sheriff’s Office, the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Carl Albert State College Campus Police. The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Palma and Wilson will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Caila M. Cleary represented the United States.


title: Justice Department Sues Kentucky Rental Property Manager and Owners for Sexual Harassment

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a lawsuit against Adnan Shalash, the owner and operator of rental properties in Lexington, Kentucky, for engaging in sexual harassment and retaliation in violation of the Fair Housing Act. The lawsuit also names as defendants 12 owners of rental properties managed by Adnan Shalash, including Fox Den Properties LLC and Griffith Market Inc. “Sexual harassment by housing providers is an egregious abuse of power,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Women should never feel unsafe in their own homes. The Justice Department is committed to vigorously protecting the rights of vulnerable tenants subjected to sexual harassment and holding housing providers and managers accountable when they violate the law.” “Sexual harassment in housing deprives its victims of the safety and security that a home is supposed to provide them,” said U.S. Attorney Carlton S. Shier IV for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “That makes committed enforcement of the Fair Housing Act critical to ensuring that victims can gain relief from this shameful conduct and seek a safe and secure home for their families.” The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, alleges that for many years Shalash has sexually harassed numerous female tenants. According to the complaint, Shalash has offered housing-related benefits in exchange for sexual contact, made unwelcome sexual comments and advances to female tenants, entered the homes of female tenants without their permission, subjected female tenants to unwelcome touching and groping and taken adverse housing-related actions against female tenants who refused his sexual advances. The lawsuit, which is the result of a joint investigative effort of the Justice Department with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s Office of Inspector General, seeks monetary damages to compensate persons harmed by the alleged harassment, a civil penalty against each defendant to vindicate the public interest and a court order barring future discrimination. “My office will not tolerate landlords committing sexual harassment or abuse against tenants,” said HUD Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis. “Adnan Shalash allegedly preyed upon vulnerable tenants’ basic human need for housing. Today’s complaint demonstrates the HUD Office of Inspector General’s commitment to stop landlords who abuse their power over vulnerable tenants and ensuring that victims of their sexual harassment obtain relief.” The Justice Department launched its Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative in October 2017. The initiative, which is led by the Civil Rights Division in coordination with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country, seeks to address and raise awareness about sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers or others who have control over housing. Since launching the initiative, the Justice Department has filed 46 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing, recovering damages and civil penalties from those violating the law. The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability and familial status. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt . Individuals who believe that they may have been victims of sexual harassment or other types of housing discrimination at rental dwellings owned or managed by Adnan Shalash, or who have other information that may be relevant to this case, should contact the Housing Discrimination Tip Line, at 1-833-591-0291, select 1 for English and select option number 2 then option number 04 to leave a message. To leave a message in Spanish, select 2 for Spanish, and select option number 1 and then option number 9 to leave a message. Individuals may also email the Justice Department at fairhousing@usdoj.gov or submit a report online . Reports also may be made by contacting the HUD at 1-800-669-9777 or by filing a complaint online .


title: El Departamento de Justicia demanda a un administrador de propiedades de alquiler de Kentucky y a los propietarios por acoso sexual

body_text: El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha entablado una demanda contra Adnan Shalash, propietario y operador de propiedades de alquiler en Lexington, Kentucky, por acoso sexual y represalias, en violación de la ley de Vivienda Justa. La demanda también nombra como demandados a 12 propietarios de propiedades de alquiler administradas por Adnan Shalash, incluidas Fox Den Properties LLC y Griffith Market Inc. “El acoso sexual por parte de los proveedores de viviendas es un abuso de poder atroz”, afirmó Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. “Las mujeres nunca deben sentirse inseguras en sus propios hogares. El Departamento de Justicia se compromete a proteger activamente los derechos de inquilinas vulnerables sujetas al acoso sexual y a responsabilizar a los proveedores y administradores de vivienda cuando infrinjan la ley”. “El acoso sexual en la vivienda priva a sus víctimas de la seguridad y protección que se supone que una casa les debe proporcionar”, declaró Carlton S. Shier, IV el Fiscal Federal para el Distrito Este de Kentucky. “Esto hace que la aplicación comprometida de la ley de Vivienda Justa sea fundamental para garantizar que las víctimas puedan obtener compensación por esta conducta vergonzosa y buscar un hogar seguro para sus familias”. La demanda, presentada en el Tribunal Federal de Distrito para el Distrito Este de Kentucky, alega que durante muchos años Shalash ha acosado sexualmente a numerosas inquilinas. De acuerdo con la queja, Shalash ha ofrecido beneficios relacionados con la vivienda a cambio de contacto sexual, ha hecho comentarios y avances sexuales no deseados a inquilinas, ha entrado en las casas de inquilinas sin su permiso, ha sometido a inquilinas a contacto y manoseo no deseados y ha tomado medidas adversas relacionadas con la vivienda contra inquilinas que rechazaron sus insinuaciones sexuales. La demanda, que es el resultado de un esfuerzo de investigación conjunto del Departamento de Justicia con la Oficina del Inspector General del Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano (HUD, por sus siglas en inglés), busca daños monetarios para compensar a las personas perjudicadas por el supuesto acoso, una sanción civil contra cada demandado para reivindicar el interés público y una orden judicial que prohíbe la discriminación futura. “Mi oficina no tolerará que propietarios cometan actos de acoso o abuso sexual contra las inquilinas”, dijo la Inspectora General del HUD, Rae Oliver Davis. “Adnan Shalash supuestamente abusó de la necesidad humana básica de vivienda de inquilinas vulnerables. La queja de hoy demuestra el compromiso de la Oficina del Inspector General del HUD de detener a los propietarios que abusan de su poder sobre inquilinas vulnerables y garantizar que las víctimas de su acoso sexual obtengan una compensación”. El Departamento de Justicia lanzó su Iniciativa contra el acoso sexual en la vivienda en octubre del 2017. La iniciativa, dirigida por la División de Derechos Civiles en coordinación con las Fiscalías Federales por todo el país, busca abordar y aumentar la concientización sobre el acoso sexual por parte de propietarios, administradores de propiedades, trabajadores de mantenimiento, oficiales de préstamos u otras personas que tienen control sobre la vivienda. Desde el lanzamiento de la iniciativa, el Departamento de Justicia ha presentado 46 demandas que alegan acoso sexual en la vivienda, así recuperando daños y sanciones civiles de aquellos que infringen la ley. La ley de Vivienda Justa prohíbe la discriminación en las viviendas por motivos de raza, color de piel, religión, origen nacional, sexo, discapacidad y situación familiar. Hay más información sobre la División de Derechos Civiles y las leyes que hace cumplir en su sitio web en www.justice.gov/crt . Aquellas personas que crean que pueden haber sido víctimas de acoso sexual u otros tipos de discriminación en la vivienda en viviendas de alquiler de los que Adnan Shalash es propietario o administrador, o que tienen otra información que puede ser relevante para este caso, deben comunicarse con la línea informativa para discriminación en la vivienda al 1-833-591-0291, seleccionar 1 para inglés y seleccionar la opción número 2 y luego la opción número 04 para dejar un mensaje. Para dejar un mensaje en español, hay que seleccionar 2 para español, seleccionar la opción número 1 y luego la opción número 9 para dejar un mensaje. También se puede enviar un correo electrónico al Departamento de Justicia a fairhousing@usdoj.gov o entregar un informe en línea . Los informes también se pueden realizar comunicándose con el HUD al 1-800-669-9777 o rellenando una queja en línea .


title: Justice Department Sues Pennsylvania Over Discriminatory Code Requirements That Restrict Community-Based Housing for People with Disabilities

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it filed a lawsuit against the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry and Pennsylvania Department of Human Services to challenge discriminatory code requirements that deny or limit the availability of community-based housing for people with intellectual disabilities and autism. “People with disabilities should not have their housing opportunities stripped away from them by restrictive safety measures that are simply not necessary,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The failure of the Commonwealth’s building code to take into account the specific needs and the capacity of people with disabilities illegally denies them access to housing opportunities. Through vigorous enforcement of the Fair Housing Act, the Justice Department is committed to ensuring that building requirements, zoning restrictions and land use codes are not abused and manipulated to deny people with disabilities their right to live integrated in their communities.” “Although expensive fire prevention methods, like automatic sprinklers, may reduce personal injury and damage to property, Pennsylvania cannot require individuals with disabilities to obey this code requirement without assessing their unique and specific needs,” said U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. “Pennsylvania’s building code enforcement improperly demands individuals with disabilities living in community homes to pay thousands of dollars to install automatic sprinklers yet allows those without disabilities in similar resident housing to avoid such costs. This office will continue to enforce the Fair Housing Act and partner with the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division to ensure our disabled citizens share the same rights as their neighbors.” Under the Commonwealth’s Uniform Construction Code, which all local governments must follow, every “community home” for persons with intellectual disabilities and autism must install, at their own expense, an automatic sprinkler system. No other single-family home, including newly constructed homes, is required to install automatic sprinklers. “Community homes” allow people with intellectual disabilities and autism to live in a family-like setting in the community, alongside people without disabilities. Such homes in Pennsylvania have an average of 2.3 residents and may have no more than four residents. The Commonwealth already requires community homes to comply with numerous fire and safety regulations, including regular fire drills verifying that the residents are able to evacuate in under two and one-half minutes. Pennsylvania’s building code, however, classifies community homes for persons with intellectual disabilities and autism as “facilities” and requires them to install automatic sprinkler systems, regardless of how old the home is or how capable the residents are to evacuate notwithstanding their disabilities. Sprinkler system requirements limit the availability of housing in several ways. First, landlords in rental housing may refuse to allow sprinkler systems to be installed because their appearance, which includes long, exposed metal pipes, may render a home less marketable to future tenants and is reminiscent of the institutional facilities community homes were intended to replace. Second, sprinkler systems often cannot feasibly be installed in individual apartments, thus eliminating their ability to be used as community homes. Finally, as the department’s investigation found, sprinkler systems cost, at a minimum, nearly $10,000 to install in a small, single-family home, but these costs may triple when local water utilities require sprinkler systems to have their own water line. These costs may exceed the financial means of many community home operators and may force others to operate larger, less individualized homes. The lawsuit seeks injunctive relief, including an order requiring the Commonwealth to allow local governments to assess the need for automatic sprinklers in community homes based on the unique and specific needs and abilities of each home’s residents, as well as monetary damages. The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division enforces the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability and familial status. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt . Individuals may report housing discrimination by calling the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination tip line at 1-833-591-0291 or submitting a report online . Individuals may also report such discrimination by contacting HUD at 1-800-669-9777 or by filing a complaint online . Individuals who have information on community homes being required to install automatic sprinklers in Pennsylvania or who have other information that may be relevant to this case may contact the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination tip line at 1-833-591-0291, press 1 for English; press 1 for discrimination in housing; and press 9 for the United States v. Pennsylvania lawsuit mailbox. Individuals can also email the Justice Department at Community.Homes@usdoj.gov .


title: 19 Individuals Indicted And Arrested In Relation To Statewide Bank Fraud Conspiracy

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Qornelious Campbell (31), Kenneth Cole II (25), Kenisha Coffer (25), D’Andranika Crews (20), Ebony Fields (26), Victoria Ferrer (22), Aaliyah Gotay-Woods (23), Bre’asia Harris (26), Jaun Hillman (51), Keith Honors, Jr. (39), Kendrick Iles (20), Arkuria Lewis (22), Deven Little (28), Josie Lopez (29), Clarissa Morris (24), Tamiria Perry (27), Mark Quesnel (66), Tamaries Richardson (30), and Kalei Spicer (22), all residents of Polk County, with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bank fraud. If convicted on all counts, each faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies the individuals that the United States intends to forfeit any and all assets traceable to proceeds of the offenses. According to court documents, in 2023, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office initiated an investigation into a violent street gang known as the “Trap Boys,” who were operating throughout the Middle District of Florida. This investigation and subsequent arrests were predicated upon several retaliatory shootings between the Trap Boys and other violent street gangs. During these arrests, several members of the gang were found to be in the possession of large quantities of checks, debit cards, financial statements, and identification cards in the names of third parties. Further investigation of these materials revealed that from at least July 2021, and continuing through November 2023, a group of individuals had engaged in a conspiracy to defraud banks, credit unions, individual persons, and various businesses throughout Florida, including Winter Haven, Auburndale, Riverview, Kissimmee, Lakeland, Tampa, and Miami. As part of this conspiracy, the co-conspirators stole checks from individuals and businesses. Using check writing software, the co-conspirators then altered those checks and created fictitious checks, changing the banks, businesses, and the check amounts. Using automated systems and online databases, the co-conspirators then learned of the banking information of various businesses, including their transaction history, account balances, check numbers and other information. Members of the conspiracy then recruited accomplices who provided members of this conspiracy with their own bank account numbers, Social Security numbers, debit cards, and their own individual bank account log credentials and passwords. The co-conspirators then deposited the fraudulently created checks at dozens of banks and credit unions throughout the Middle District of Florida. Over the course of this conspiracy, approximately 26 banks and more than 200 victims were defrauded, including insurance companies, law firms, construction companies, tile companies, auto shop businesses, public school districts, colleges, and state agencies. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes. This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justicegov/OCDETF.


title: Teen Pleads Guilty in Two November 2023 Carjackings

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Devonta Lynch, 18, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty yesterday in Superior Court to armed carjacking in relation to a November 29, 2023 offense, robbery in relation to a November 12, 2023 offense, and carrying a pistol without a license on November 12, 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Superior Court Judge Jennifer Di Toro scheduled sentencing for December 5, 2025. According to the Government’s evidence, Lynch and an accomplice carjacked an off-duty federal agent at gunpoint on November 29, 2023, in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Northeast, D.C. The perpetrators knocked the victim to the ground next to their vehicle, pointed a firearm at them, demanded their keys, and then drove off in their vehicle. Additionally, about two weeks earlier, the defendant and two accomplices robbed a rideshare driver at gunpoint in the Benning Ridge neighborhood of Southeast, D.C. The perpetrators struck the victim in the head, pointed two firearms at him, demanded his phone, wallet, and keys, took the victims’ wallet out of his pocket, and then drove off in the victim’s vehicle. This case was investigated by the MPD Carjacking Task Force and the FBI Washington Field Office's Violent Crimes Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Bromwich and Anthony Cocuzza.


title: Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Offenses

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – An Orleans man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to child pornography offenses. Anthony Argo, 34, pleaded guilty to possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun scheduled sentencing for Feb. 25, 2025. Argo was arrested and charged in July 2024 . Argo was identified as the user of a chat application who was expressing sexual interest in minors and sharing CSAM. During a search of his residence, Argo was found in possession of an SD card and multiple USB drives, together containing more than 600 images depicting child pornography. The files depicted children as young as infants. Argo was previously convicted in Barnstable District Court for indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or over, and in Orleans District Court for kidnapping, enticement of a child under 16, and distributing obscene matter to a minor. Due to Argo’s prior convictions, the charge of possession of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime 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 United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Special assistance was provided by HSI Frederick Maryland and the Orleans Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Maynard of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting 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: Riverside Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Pounds of Methamphetamine from Mexico into Inland Empire

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: RIVERSIDE, California – A Riverside County man who helped lead an organization that trafficked pound quantities of methamphetamine from Mexico into the Inland Empire has been sentenced to 180 months in federal prison, the Justice Department announced today. Javier Rodriguez, 57, of Riverside, was sentenced late Monday by United States District Judge Jesus G. Bernal. Rodriguez, a member of the Riverside-based Casa Blanca Rifa street gang, pleaded guilty on March 18 to eight felonies: one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; one count of conspiracy to import methamphetamine; three counts of possessing methamphetamine for distribution; one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition; and two counts of attempted international promotional money laundering. Rodriguez has been in federal custody since pleading guilty. The investigation leading to these federal charges focused on the criminal activities of the Casa Blanca Rifa gang to combat drug trafficking and associated violence in Riverside and the surrounding community. From at least April 2020 until August 2020, Rodriguez and others purchased pound quantities of methamphetamine from their suppliers in Mexico as well as in Los Angeles and Riverside counties. Other members of the conspiracy further distributed methamphetamine in the Inland Empire. Prosecutors argued that Rodriguez also trafficked drugs from his mother’s home, In total, law enforcement seized more than 150 pounds (68 kilograms) of methamphetamine and $31,035 in cash during this investigation. In May 2020, Rodriguez possessed 150 rounds of ammunition. He is not legally permitted to possess ammunition because his criminal history includes six felony convictions in state court in Riverside and Los Angeles counties for crimes ranging from drug dealing to burglary. Rodriguez is the 16th and final defendant sentenced in this criminal case. Lead defendant Timoteo Gomez, 51, of Riverside, was sentenced on May 6 to 21 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to his role in the methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy. Other defendants in this case received prison sentences ranging from two to 12 years. The FBI’s Inland Empire Safe Streets Task Force investigated this matter. The Task Force is a joint federal and state gang task force that includes the FBI; the Drug Enforcement Administration; IRS Criminal Investigation; the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department; and the Riverside Police Department. The FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force received assistance during the investigation from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the United States Marshals Service. Assistant United States Attorney Eli A. Alcaraz of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section prosecuted this case.


title: Upstate New York Resident and Bangladeshi National Charged with Digital Streaming Piracy Scheme

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, an indictment was unsealed charging Noor Nabi Chowdhury and his brother, Mohammad Mahmudur Rahman, with conspiracy to provide to the public an illicit digital transmission service; providing an illicit digital transmission service; conspiracy to commit wire fraud; and aggravated identity theft. The charges stem from the defendants’ operation of 247TVStream, an online subscription-based service that permitted users to stream copyrighted content, such as live sports programming and television shows, without the permission of the relevant copyright owners. Chowdhury was arrested this morning and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York. Rahman remains at large. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Nicole M. Argentieri, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General and head of the Criminal Division and William S. Walker, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New York, announced the arrest and indictment. “As alleged, the defendants operated a bootleg online streaming service that distributed copyrighted television programs that they stole for their personal enrichment,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “My Office and the Department of Justice are committed to protecting the rights of intellectual property holders from digital pirates like these defendants.” Mr. Peace expressed his thanks to the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the Surrey and City of London Police, United Kingdom, Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Fiscale Inlichtingen- en Opsporingsdienst, Netherlands, and the United States Postal Inspection Service for their assistance. “According to the indictment, Chowdhury and Rahman ran an illicit digital streaming site that infringed upon more than a hundred million dollars of intellectual property owned by legitimate copyright owners,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Thanks to the work of our prosecutors, along with our domestic and international law enforcement partners, the illicit digital streaming site no longer exists, and Chowdhury is in custody. These actions demonstrate the Criminal Division’s commitment to protecting intellectual property rights by vigorously enforcing the laws against illicit digital transmission services.” “Noor Nabi Chowdhury and Mohammad Rahman are accused of committing copyright infringement to the tune of over $100 million. As alleged and in furtherance of their criminal scheme, the defendants stole an unsuspecting victim’s identity to exploit major American businesses, in pursuit of illicit wealth,” stated HSI New York Special Agent in Charge Walker. “HSI New York proudly stands alongside our law enforcement and private sector partners, both domestic and abroad, to thwart criminal organizations who seek to financially capitalize on their wrongdoing.” As alleged, between approximately May 2017 and November 2024, the defendants operated 247TVStream, a service that provided online video and sports streaming services. For a subscription fee of as little as $10 per month, 247TVStream enabled its subscribers to view live television and sports programming on their internet-connected devices. However, unlike legitimate streaming services, 247TVStream had not licensed the right to access those programs from the platforms on which they were legitimately offered. The estimated economic harm caused by 247TVStream to television program copyright owners, as well as licensed streaming services, is more than $100 million. In connection with this case, a seizure order was executed against website domain names used by Chowdhury and Rahman to operate 247TVStream. The seizure of these domains by the government will prevent the use of these sites to operate 247TVStream. Individuals, including subscribers, visiting those sites will now see messages indicating that the sites have been seized by the federal government. In addition, in coordination with international law enforcement partners to enforce criminal copyright laws, Dutch and U.K. partners have seized the servers hosting a portion of the 247TVStream infrastructure. The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Chowdhury and Rahman each face a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the conspiracy to provide the digital transmission service; three years in prison on providing the digital transmission service; 20 years in prison for the conspiracy to commit wire fraud; and a mandatory term of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft, to run consecutive to the other sentences. The HSI New York Field Office is investigating the case, with assistance from the HSI Buffalo Field Office and their Attaché Offices in Ottawa, The Hague and London. Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca Schuman is prosecuting the case with Trial Attorneys Vasantha Rao and Jeff Pearlman of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section. The Defendants: NOOR NABI CHOWDHURY Age: 56 Cheektowaga, New York MOHAMMAD MAHMUDUR RAHMAN Age: 36 Dhaka, Bangladesh E.D.N.Y. Docket No.: 24-CR-466 (MKB) 24-cr-466_-_indictment.pdf


title: Colombian Man Extradited to the United States for Alleged Role in Extensive Money Laundering Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – A Colombian man has been extradited to the United States from the Republic of Colombia to face charges related to his alleged role in a sophisticated money laundering organization that laundered over $2 million in drug trafficking proceeds. Jose Edison Montealegre-Fernandez, 60, was arrested in Cali, Colombia on Nov. 10, 2021 and extradited to the United States on Nov. 15, 2024. He appeared in federal court in Boston today and was ordered detained pending trial. On Nov. 4, 2021, Montealegre-Fernandez was indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston on charges of money laundering conspiracy, laundering of monetary instruments and engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property. According to the charging documents, in or about November 2017, law enforcement began an investigation into a sophisticated money laundering organization located primarily in Cali, Colombia. During an extensive three-year investigation, the organization allegedly laundered over $2 million in drug proceeds through intermediary banks in the United States, including banks in Massachusetts. Montealegre-Fernandez allegedly participated in the transfer of substantial amounts of bulk cash in the United States through schemes that involved picking up large amounts of drug proceeds at locations around the world and then subsequently laundering those funds through accounts in the United States to various individuals and entities in order to repay drug suppliers in Colombia. According to court documents, the investigation led to the seizure of over six kilograms of suspected heroin, over 2.8 kilograms of a substance that field-tested positive for heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, a hydraulic drug press, a Glock 10mm semi-automatic handgun, an SKS assault rifle with a loaded Beta C-mag containing 100 rounds of 7.62 caliber ammunition and $250,000 in cash. The charges of money laundering conspiracy and laundering of monetary instruments each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $500,000, or twice the amount involved, whichever is greater. The crime of engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the amount involved. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua Levy; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston made the announcement today. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of the Judicial Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota provided critical assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Montealegre-Fernandez. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared C. Dolan and Alathea E. Porter of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . 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: Eden Prairie Man Sentenced to Over Seven Years in Prison for COVID Relief Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Money Laundering

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: ST. PAUL, Minn. – An Eden Prairie man has been sentenced to 87 months in federal prison, three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay restitution for fraudulently applying for more than $2.1 million in COVID-19 relief funds and then spending those proceeds on himself, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. As proven at trial, between March and May 2020, Harold Bennie Kaeding, 75, applied for at least $2,182,625 in loans through the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program. Kaeding used the name of his own close family members to submit the loan applications in the names of six different purported corporate entities. But these entities were either defunct or not even in existence when the pandemic began, trial evidence showed. None of the businesses had filed tax returns or reported the payment of wages to a single employee for calendar years 2019 and 2020. Kaeding instead fabricated tax documents, manufactured bank statements, and submitted other records to ensure the applications appeared legitimate. These false statements to lenders manufactured the number of employees a given entity employed, the amount of average monthly payroll expenses, and false statements about the intended use of the loan proceeds. As a result of his material falsehoods and omissions, Kaeding initially received approximately $1,642,670 in relief funds before some banks detected irregularities and clawed back some of the money. This left Kaeding with $658,490 in fraud proceeds, which he transferred to bank accounts—often opened in the names of close family members—that he controlled. Among other things, Kaeding used the money to get his personal residence out of impending foreclosure, purchase an SUV, and stockpile more than $80,000 in cash. In early 2021, Kaeding fled to Colombia after learning he was under investigation. Law enforcement eventually located Kaeding and successfully deported him back to the United States to face prosecution. Following a ten-day trial in August 2024, Kaeding was convicted by a federal jury on three counts of wire fraud, three counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of money laundering. He was sentenced last Friday, November 15, 2024, by Judge Eric C. Tostrud in U.S. District Court. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and IRS—Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jordan L. Sing and Robert M. Lewis prosecuted the case.


title: Felon Sentenced to 64 Months in Prison for Stealing from Gun Store

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

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Tuesday sentenced a convicted felon who stole a gun from a St. Louis County gun store to 64 months in prison. On Oct. 17, 2023, Johnny Phillips stole a Smith & Wesson M&P 5.7 pistol from the display case of the store. His theft was captured on video. The next day, the Bridgeton Police Department arrested Phillips and recovered the gun. As a convicted felon, he is barred from possessing a firearm. Phillips, now 33, of Bellefontaine Neighbors, pleaded guilty in July to one count of theft of a firearm from a federally licensed firearm dealer and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The Bridgeton Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Christian Goeke prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Fort Myers Man Sentenced To More Than 5 Years In Federal Prison For Distributing Fentanyl

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri P. Chappell has sentenced Nicholas Smith (45, Fort Myers) to five years and five months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Smith was found guilty following a bench trial on August 21, 2024. According to court documents, on September 5, 2023, officers with the Fort Myers Police Department stopped Smith for multiple traffic infractions near Winkler Avenue and Fowler Street in Fort Myers. During a subsequent search of Smith, officers retrieved a large plastic bag containing 11 smaller bags of a pink powdery substance that later tested positive for para-Fluorofentanyl and fentanyl, weighing 9.55 grams. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Fort Myers Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick L. Darcey


title: Louisville Man Sentenced to Over 16 Years in Federal Prison for Cocaine Trafficking Conspiracy

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Louisville, KY – A Louisville man was sentenced this week to 16 years and 6 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, and Chief Paul Humphreys of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement. According to court documents, on November 18, 2024, Reginald Brown , 38, was sentenced to 16 years and 6 months in prison, followed by 6 years supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine. Brown was convicted following a five-day jury trial in August of this year. Brown’s codefendants plead guilty and were previously sentenced. On January 11, 2024, Clarence Stott , 43, of Louisville, was sentenced to 12 years and 7 months in prison, followed by 6 years supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute cocaine. On December 18, 2023, Axel Diaz Hernandez , 24, of Virginia, was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison, followed by 4 years supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine. There is no parole in the federal system. The DEA and the Louisville Metro Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alicia P. Gomez and Marisa J. Ford prosecuted the case with assistance from paralegal Adela Alic. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: California Man Sentenced For Acting As An Illegal Agent Of The PRC Government And Bribery

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JOHN CHEN was sentenced today to 20 months in prison for acting as an unregistered agent of the government of the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”) and bribing an Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) agent in connection with a plot to target U.S.-based practitioners of Falun Gong — a spiritual practice banned in the PRC. CHEN pled guilty on July 24, 2024, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew E. Krause and was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Nelson S. Román. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “John Chen aligned himself with the PRC government and its goals to harass and intimidate the Falun Gong, a long-standing target of PRC repression. In doing so, Chen boldly attempted to bribe an individual he believed to be an IRS agent to corrupt the administration of the U.S. tax code and pervert the IRS whistleblower program. This Office will not tolerate efforts like this to repress free speech by targeting critics of the PRC in the United States. Today’s sentence is a reminder that the U.S. justice system will hold accountable those who attempt to engage in malicious transnational repression on American soil.” According to the Indictment and other court documents: From at least approximately January 2023 to May 2023, CHEN and his co-defendant, Lin Feng (“FENG”) worked inside the U.S. at the direction of the PRC Government, including an identified PRC Government official (“PRC Official-1”), to further the PRC Government’s campaign to repress and harass Falun Gong practitioners. The PRC Government has designated the Falun Gong as one of the “Five Poisons,” or one of the top five threats to its rule. In China, Falun Gong adherents face a range of repressive and punitive measures from the PRC Government, including imprisonment. As part of the PRC Government’s campaign against the Falun Gong, CHEN and FENG engaged in a PRC Government-directed scheme to manipulate the IRS’s Whistleblower Program in an effort to strip the tax-exempt status of an entity run and maintained by Falun Gong practitioners, the Shen Yun Performing Arts Center. After CHEN filed a defective whistleblower complaint with the IRS (the “Chen Whistleblower Complaint”), CHEN and FENG paid $5,000 in cash bribes, and promised to pay substantially more, to a purported IRS agent who was, in fact, an undercover officer (“Agent-1”) in exchange for Agent-1’s assistance in advancing the complaint. Neither CHEN nor FENG notified the Attorney General that they were acting as agents of the PRC Government in the U.S. In the course of the scheme, CHEN, on a recorded call, explicitly noted that the purpose of paying these bribes, which were directed and funded by the PRC Government, was to carry out the PRC Government’s aim of “toppl[ing] . . . the Falun Gong.” During a call intercepted pursuant to a judicially authorized wiretap, CHEN and FENG discussed receiving “direction” on the bribery scheme from PRC Official-1, deleting instructions received from PRC Official-1 in order to evade detection, and “alert[ing]” and “sound[ing] the alarm” to PRC Official-1 if CHEN and FENG’s meetings to bribe Agent-1 did not go as planned. CHEN and FENG also discussed that PRC Official-1 was the PRC Government official “in charge” of the bribery scheme targeting the Falun Gong. As part of this scheme, CHEN and FENG met with Agent-1 in Newburgh, New York, on May 14, 2023. During the meeting, CHEN gave Agent-1 a $1,000 cash bribe as an initial, partial bribe payment. CHEN further offered to pay Agent-1 a total of $50,000 for opening an audit on the Shen Yun Performing Arts Center, as well as 60% of any whistleblower award from the IRS if the Chen Whistleblower Complaint were successful. On May 18, 2023, FENG paid Agent-1 a $4,000 cash bribe at John F. Kennedy International Airport as an additional partial bribe payment in furtherance of the scheme. * * * In addition to the prison term, CHEN, 71, of Chino, California, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit $50,000. FENG, 44, a PRC citizen and resident of Los Angeles, California, was sentenced by Judge Román on September 26, 2024, to a time-served sentence of 16 months in prison. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New York and Los Angeles Field Offices and Counterintelligence Division and the Office of the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. Mr. Williams also thanked the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, Counterintelligence and Export Control Section for their assistance. The case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division and National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Qais Ghafary, Michael D. Lockard, and Kathryn Wheelock are in charge of the case, with assistance from Trial Attorney Christina Clark of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.


title: Thirteen Individuals Indicted in Cross-State Drug Trafficking Conspiracy that Used Social Media Apps to Facilitate Drug Distribution and Guns for Drugs

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – An indictment has been unsealed charging thirteen defendants in connection with a cross-border drug trafficking conspiracy that used social media messaging apps to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine, and traded firearms for drugs, U.S Attorney Jane Young announces. According to court documents, over the course of two days last week, law enforcement officers arrested six of these defendants in New Hampshire and Maine on charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, namely fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine. Four of the defendants are in state custody in Maine and New Hampshire on unrelated charges. Three defendants have yet to be arrested. In October 2023, law enforcement received information about a drug distributor based in Lowell and Lawrence, Massachusetts, who conducted high-volume narcotics deals via cell phone text messages and a social media messaging app. During the investigation, law enforcement identified several phone numbers and two social media accounts controlled by members of the drug trafficking organization (DTO). Both social media account profiles said they lived in New Hampshire and Maine, implicitly targeting clientele and secondary sources of narcotics supply in those areas. From November 9, 2023 to March 7, 2024, law enforcement officers conducted eight purchases of fentanyl, mostly arranged by one of the DTO’s social media accounts. These purchases ranged from 97 to 496 grams of fentanyl. A DTO runner would typically conduct a hand-to-hand drug transaction within Lowell and Lawrence, Massachusetts. All parties involved understood the purchaser was based in New Hampshire and that the narcotics were intended for redistribution in New Hampshire. During the investigation, law enforcement also searched premises used by the DTO to store and package various amounts of narcotics. Law enforcement seized more than two and a half kilograms of fentanyl, 250 grams of methamphetamine, and 28 grams of cocaine during these searches. During the investigation, agents also executed a search warrant on the social media platform servers for the historical records associated with the DTO account that was used to arrange the undercover purchases, and similarly executed a search warrant for the contents of a cell phone that was seized during the enforcement actions. An analysis of these communications indicates that members of the DTO used two different social media accounts and corresponding messaging apps, as well as traditional text messaging, to arrange drug transactions in the Lowell neighborhood where the undercover purchases occurred. These transactions occurred over the course of one year, from April 2023 to April 2024, and involved an estimated total of at least 20 kilograms of fentanyl, one kilogram of methamphetamine, and 200 grams of cocaine, the vast majority of which were sold to dealers based in New Hampshire and Maine for redistribution in their respective drug markets. In addition, six charged conspirators sought to trade firearms, including shotguns, rifles, and handguns for narcotics. The following defendants have been indicted in connection with this drug trafficking operation: Pedro Miguel Ravelo Guzman, 31, of Lowell, Massachusetts. Guzman has not yet been arrested. Jacob D. King, 41, of Milton, New Hampshire. King is in federal custody. Riley J. Paletta, 26, of Hudson, New Hampshire. Paletta was released on pretrial supervision. Amanda E. Camera a/k/a Amanda E. Douglass, 39, of Fairfield, Maine. Camera is in Maine state custody on unrelated charges. Benjamin M. Fields, 41, of Laconia, New Hampshire. Fields is in New Hampshire state custody on unrelated charges. John N. Titus, 35, of Farmington, New Hampshire. Titus is in federal custody. Christian F. Gerlach, 52, of Manchester, New Hampshire. Gerlach is in New Hampshire state custody on unrelated charges. Moses J. Losuk, 28, of Portland, Maine. Losuk is in Maine state custody on unrelated charges. Timothy E. Boston a/k/a Timothy Earl Boston II, 38, of Nashua, New Hampshire. Boston is in federal custody. Robert A. Arrington, 38, of Bangor, Maine. Arrington has not yet been arrested. Robert W. Whiteside Jr., 46, of Exeter, New Hampshire. Whiteside is in federal custody. William L. Wheelock, 34, of Windham, Maine. Wheelock has not yet been arrested. Alexander L. Wilson, 38, of Belfast, Maine. Wilson is in federal custody. The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. Jacob D. King, Amanda E. Camera a/k/a Amanda E. Douglass, and Benjamin M. Fields are facing mandatory minimum penalties of 5 years in imprisonment, based on their involvement in the conspiracy. 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 Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation. The Hudson Police Department, the Bedford Police Department, the Nashua Police Department, the Manchester Police Department, the New Hampshire State Police, and the Strafford County Sheriff’s Department provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cesar Vega is prosecuting the case. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. The 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: Former GE Executive Convicted At Trial Of Fraud And Identity Theft

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced the conviction in Manhattan federal court of WILSON DANIEL FREITA DA COSTA of one count of wire fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft for his role in a scheme to use forged documents on Angolan Government letterhead to deceive a subdivision of the GE Company and the Angolan Government. The jury convicted DA COSTA yesterday following a two-week trial before U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As a unanimous jury of his peers has found, Wilson Da Costa brazenly used forged documents to deceive a subdivision of the GE Company and the Angolan Government, causing hundreds of millions of dollars to be disbursed. The scheme further committed the Angolan Government to purchase expensive equipment that it had not agreed to purchase – all so that Da Costa could receive millions of dollars for himself on the back end. Thanks to the hard work of the career prosecutors of this Office and our law enforcement partners at HSI, Da Costa has now been held to account for his fraudulent conduct.” As reflected in the Superseding Indictment, public filings, and the evidence presented at trial: In or about October 2017, DA COSTA, the former Chief Executive Officer of GE Angola, disseminated fake documentation on Angolan Government letterhead, purportedly signed by officials from the Angolan Government and purportedly showing the Angolan Government’s commitment to purchase more GE-manufactured turbines than the Angolan Government had actually agreed to purchase. These forged documents were then used to justify and support payouts from a $1.1 billion loan from a subdivision of the GE Company to the Angolan Government. Subsequently, when questions arose about the number of turbines the Angolan Government had actually purchased, DA COSTA lied and continued to rely on the same forged documents that he had previously disseminated. For his efforts, DA COSTA received millions of dollars in kickback payments from the founder of a local Angolan company that had contracts to supply the Angolan Government with the GE-manufactured turbines. * * * DA COSTA, 51, a naturalized U.S. citizen, was convicted by a jury of one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and two counts of aggravated identity theft, each of which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison to run consecutively to any other prison terms imposed. The statutory minimum and maximum penalties in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. DA COSTA is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Castel on February 26, 2025. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of Homeland Security Investigations. This case is being handled by the Office’s Illicit Finance & Money Laundering Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer N. Ong, Christopher D. Brumwell, and Samuel P. Rothschild are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Angelica Cotto and Nerlande Pierre.


title: Exeter Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for 48 Months for Possessing Over 2,000 Images of Child Sexual Abuse

body_text: CONCORD – An Exeter man was sentenced in federal court in connection with the possession of child sexual abuse materials, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Nathan Kohler, 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Laplante to 48 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release. Kohler was also ordered to pay $21,000 in restitution to the victims of his offense. On July 8, 2024, Kohler pleaded guilty to one count of Possession of Child Pornography. “The actions of the defendant fuel the demand for the horrific sexual abuse of children and results in life-long suffering for those victims,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “Those who would seek out on the internet these images documenting the pain and abuse of a child are on notice. They will be found, prosecuted, and incarcerated.” “Kohler admitted that he had been downloading child sexual abuse material at his home for years. The children depicted in these images were victimized at the time the photos were taken and victimized again every time they are distributed. HSI works tirelessly with our partners to ensure those who trade in these horrific images are brought to justice,” said HSI New England Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol. On January 2, 2023, and again on February 14, 2023, the NH Internet Crimes Against Children (“ICAC”) Task Force’s BitTorrent software identified a target IP address making child sexual abuse material (“CSAM”) available for download through the Peer-to-Peer (“P2P”) network BitTorrent. Further investigation identified the defendant’s residence in Exeter, New Hampshire as the subscriber of the target IP address. On April 5, 2023, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at the defendant’s residence. During that search, law enforcement seized a Dell laptop computer from the defendant’s bedroom, containing approximately 2,000 images of CSAM and two video files. Numerous images depicted prepubescent minors, or minors who had not attained 12 years of age as well as sadistic or masochistic conduct. During an interview with law enforcement, the defendant admitted that he was the individual who has been using the internet in the residence to download CSAM and has been engaged in such activity for a number of years. The defendant stated that he used his laptop computer which was located in his bedroom to access CSAM. Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Exeter Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Ward is prosecuting 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: Lancaster Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. —Robert Namath Emory, 54, of Lancaster, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud after embezzling funds from his employer. Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Emory was the head of the accounting department for Mar Mac Protective Apparel, a company in McBee that makes hazardous materials (HAZMAT) suits. Mar Mac used an invoice system that attached a blank, physical check to invoices of large vendors, but would submit payment electronically. Mar Mac used check numbers internally and never submitted them to the bank, thereby avoiding using duplicate checks numbers. Beginning in January 2016, Emory would exploit a flaw in this system by doubling the amount of the invoices, making an electronic payment to the vendor and then use the check numbers to write physical checks to himself or his personal LLC. Emory pleaded guilty to count one of his 50-count indictment for submitting a fraudulent check for $9,583.79 in February 2021. Through this scheme, Emory was able to obtain nearly $5 million. Emory was previously convicted of wire fraud in 2008. Emory faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Emory after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office. This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and the Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Winston Holliday and Scott Matthews are prosecuting the case. ###


component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania and the Justice Department announced today that a lawsuit was filed against the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry and Pennsylvania Department of Human Services to challenge discriminatory code requirements that deny or limit the availability of community-based housing for people with intellectual disabilities and autism. “People with disabilities should not have their housing opportunities stripped away from them by restrictive safety measures that are simply not necessary,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The failure of the Commonwealth’s building code to take into account the specific needs and the capacity of people with disabilities illegally denies them access to housing opportunities. Through vigorous enforcement of the Fair Housing Act, the Justice Department is committed to ensuring that building requirements, zoning restrictions and land use codes are not abused and manipulated to deny people with disabilities their right to live integrated in their communities.” “Although expensive fire prevention methods, like automatic sprinklers, may reduce personal injury and damage to property, Pennsylvania cannot require individuals with disabilities to obey this code requirement without assessing their unique and specific needs,” said U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. “Pennsylvania’s building code enforcement improperly demands individuals with disabilities living in community homes to pay thousands of dollars to install automatic sprinklers yet allows those without disabilities in similar resident housing to avoid such costs. This office will continue to enforce the Fair Housing Act and partner with the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division to ensure our disabled citizens share the same rights as their neighbors.” Under the Commonwealth’s Uniform Construction Code, which all local governments must follow, every “community home” for persons with intellectual disabilities and autism must install, at their own expense, an automatic sprinkler system. No other single-family home, including newly constructed homes, is required to install automatic sprinklers. “Community homes” allow people with intellectual disabilities and autism to live in a family-like setting in the community, alongside people without disabilities. Such homes in Pennsylvania have an average of 2.3 residents and may have no more than four residents. The Commonwealth already requires community homes to comply with numerous fire and safety regulations, including regular fire drills verifying that the residents are able to evacuate in under two and one-half minutes. Pennsylvania’s building code, however, classifies community homes for persons with intellectual disabilities and autism as “facilities” and requires them to install automatic sprinkler systems, regardless of how old the home is or how capable the residents are to evacuate notwithstanding their disabilities. Sprinkler system requirements limit the availability of housing in several ways. First, landlords in rental housing may refuse to allow sprinkler systems to be installed because their appearance, which includes long, exposed metal pipes, may render a home less marketable to future tenants and is reminiscent of the institutional facilities community homes were intended to replace. Second, sprinkler systems often cannot feasibly be installed in individual apartments, thus eliminating their ability to be used as community homes. Finally, as the department’s investigation found, sprinkler systems cost, at a minimum, nearly $10,000 to install in a small, single-family home, but these costs may triple when local water utilities require sprinkler systems to have their own water line. These costs may exceed the financial means of many community home operators and may force others to operate larger, less individualized homes. The lawsuit seeks injunctive relief, including an order requiring the Commonwealth to allow local governments to assess the need for automatic sprinklers in community homes based on the unique and specific needs and abilities of each home’s residents, as well as monetary damages. The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division enforces the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability and familial status. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt. Individuals may report housing discrimination by calling the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination tip line at 1-833-591-0291 or submitting a report online. Individuals may also report such discrimination by contacting HUD at 1-800-669-9777 or by filing a complaint online. Individuals who have information on community homes being required to install automatic sprinklers in Pennsylvania or who have other information that may be relevant to this case may contact the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination tip line at 1-833-591-0291, press 1 for English; press 1 for discrimination in housing; and press 9 for the United States v. Pennsylvania lawsuit mailbox. Individuals can also email the Justice Department at Community.Homes@usdoj.gov. # # #


title: Manchester Woman Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison for  Conspiring to Traffic Fentanyl and Cocaine

body_text: CONCORD – A Manchester woman was sentenced in federal court for her role in a drug trafficking organization selling drugs in New Hampshire, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Maria Camacho, age 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Samantha Elliott to 24 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release. In May 2024, Camacho pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. She is the seventh of 21 charged defendants in the drug trafficking organization to be sentenced. “The defendant was an operative in a large Massachusetts-based drug trafficking that was supplying drugs here in New Hampshire, fueling the opioid crisis,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “The defendant is now facing the consequences of her actions thanks to the coordinated efforts of federal agencies and local law enforcement.” “Despite having an alternate source of income, Marie Camacho had no shame about dealing deadly poison in New Hampshire on behalf of a large Massachusetts – based drug trafficking organization,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Today’s sentence holds this drug trafficker accountable for the harm she’s inflicted on both her customers and community. The FBI would like to thank our law enforcement partners for working with us to disrupt sprawling drug trafficking organizations like this one in order to make our streets safer.” “Fentanyl is causing deaths in record numbers and DEA’s top priority is to aggressively pursue anyone who distributes this poison in order to profit and destroy lives,” said Acting DEA Special Agent in Charge Stephen Belleau, New England Field Division. “Illegal drug distribution ravages the very foundations of our families and communities so every time we take drugs like fentanyl and cocaine off the streets, lives are saved. This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative local, county and state law enforcement efforts in New Hampshire and our strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.” The defendant was part of a Massachusetts-based drug trafficking organization that was distributing significant quantities of fentanyl and cocaine in New Hampshire, primarily in Manchester. The organization used a dispatch operation to sell drugs. Customers called a phone line to purchase narcotics and would speak to a dispatcher who would put the defendant in touch with the customer to complete the drug sale. The defendant or her associate would then arrange a meeting place for the drug transaction. On September 13, 2022, the defendant, working with coconspirators, sold approximately 10 grams of fentanyl, and another 10 grams of fentanyl on October 6, 2022. On both occasions, the defendant met the customer at an agreed-upon location in Manchester, picked the customer up in a car she was driving, and exchanged fentanyl for money inside of the car. On November 8, 2022, law enforcement stopped the defendant’s car for a traffic violation. Law enforcement officers executing a subsequent search of the defendant’s car seized $5,610 and roughly 280 grams of fentanyl, 68 grams of crack cocaine, and 24 grams of powder cocaine in a hidden compartment inside the vehicle. Most of the drugs were stored in plastic bags for distribution. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Manchester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron Gingrande and Jarad Hodes are prosecuting the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . ###


title: Lackawanna County Man Convicted Of Distribution Of Fentanyl Resulting In Death

body_text: SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Federico Rosario, age 30, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, was convicted on November 18, 2024, for the distribution of fentanyl resulting in death following a four-day jury trial before United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Rosario was a drug dealer residing in Scranton in 2021. On August 11, 2021, Rosario sold a mixture containing fentanyl and cocaine to a 17-year-old who ingested the mixture and died shortly thereafter. Rosario was also found guilty of three additional sales of cocaine to the same victim that occurred on July 10 th , July 13 th , and July 28 th , 2021. During the four-day trial, prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office presented the testimony of 19 witnesses, including expert witness testimony from a forensic pathologist, a forensic toxicologist, two forensic chemists, a forensic cell phone examiner, a DNA expert, and an expert in drug trafficking investigations. The charges stem from a joint investigation conducted by the Scranton Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert J. O’Hara and Sarah R. Lloyd. This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses. This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. In this case, maximum penalty under the federal statute for drug distribution resulting in death is life imprisonment. The offense also carries a mandatory minimum sentence of twenty years’ imprisonment. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. # # #


title: Newport Man Sentenced to More Than 15 Years in Federal Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm

component: USAO - Arkansas, Eastern

body_text: LITTLE ROCK—John Balentine, a multi-convicted felon, will spend 188 months in federal prison after illegally possessing a firearm. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down on Monday, November 18, 2024, by United States District Judge Lee P. Rudofsky. Balentine, 34, of Newport, Arkansas, was indicted on December 7, 2022, in a superseding indictment on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He pleaded guilty on May 24, 2024. Judge Rudofsky also sentenced Balentine to five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. An investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) revealed that on February 18, 2020, officers from the Newport Police Department and Arkansas Community Correction responded to Balentine’s residence due to reports that he was in possession of a firearm. At the time, Balentine was on active supervision with a search waiver on file. During a search of his bedroom, officers located a Colt, .38 caliber firearm loaded with six rounds between Balentine’s mattresses. Balentine is classified as an armed career criminal offender due to his violent criminal history, which includes convictions for four residential burglaries, a robbery, and a terroristic act. Due to this history, Balentine faced at least 15 years in prison. The investigation was conducted by the ATF with assistance from the Newport Police Department and Arkansas Community Correction. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Katie Hinojosa. # # # Additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at https://www.justice.gov/edar X (formerly known as Twitter): @USAO_EDAR


title: Former Pittsburgh Resident Sentenced to 34 Years in Prison for Large-Scale Fentanyl Trafficking and Money Laundering Convictions

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A former resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 34 years of imprisonment, to be followed by lifetime supervised release, on his convictions of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl and conspiracy to commit money laundering, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Paris Carter, 35. Earlier this year, a federal jury in Pittsburgh found Carter guilty of conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of acetyl fentanyl and conspiracy to commit money laundering. According to information presented to the Court, between January 2017 and February 2018, Carter arranged for the illegal importation of multiple kilograms of fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl directly from China into the Pittsburgh area and then arranged for the distribution of those drugs in the Pittsburgh area. Using the proceeds of his drug trafficking, Carter moved to Beverly Hills, California, where he rented two different homes at costs of $14,500 and $10,000 per month and also leased three vehicles: two Bentleys and a Mercedes Benz. The evidence at trial also established that Carter laundered his drug trafficking proceeds by using others to initiate financial transactions in their names to pay for the drugs obtained from China. He also provided drug proceeds to approximately seven other individuals who used the funds to purchase cashier checks that Carter then used as downpayments on his vehicles, which he arranged to lease in the name of his aunt and co-defendant, Tamara Carter, whom the jury acquitted at trial. “Paris Carter’s time driving Bentleys and living a life of luxury in Beverly Hills has come to an end,” said U.S. Attorney Olshan. “Today, a federal judge imposed a 34-year prison sentence, an appropriate punishment for a defendant who flooded the Pittsburgh area with kilogram quantities of Chinese-sourced fentanyl. Holding the most dangerous and prolific drug traffickers accountable to the fullest extent of the law is and will remain a top priority for our office and our valued partners in federal, state, and local law enforcement.” “We hope the magnitude of this sentence is a deterrent to anyone who is considering becoming involved in the drug trafficking business, particularly involving life threatening synthetic opioids like fentanyl,” said Lesley Allison, Inspector in Charge of the Pittsburgh Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service. “The fact that Paris Carter will be behind bars for multiple decades should be a welcomed sigh of relief for our community members. This is a testament that Postal Inspectors will use all available resources to hold accountable those who use the mail for nefarious activity. At our core, we strive to keep the mail system safe, and ensure the trust of the American public. We want to thank our law enforcement partners for helping us achieve our goal.” Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Horan noted the serious nature and impact of Carter’s crimes and stated that her sentencing of the defendant reflected both the course of conduct Carter chose to pursue and flagrancy Carter adopted in his actions. Carter had previously been convicted in the Western District of Pennsylvania of a serious drug felony—namely, possession with the intent to distribute heroin, for which he was sentenced to 37 months of imprisonment in 2011. Assistant United States Attorneys Brendan T. Conway and Brendan J. McKenna prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the United States Postal Inspection Service, which worked with numerous other federal and state law enforcement agencies, for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Carter. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.