title: Justice Department Secures $25 Million Landmark Agreement with Apple to Resolve Employment Discrimination Allegations Based on Citizenship Status

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it has secured a landmark agreement with Apple Inc. (Apple) to resolve allegations that Apple illegally discriminated in hiring and recruitment against U.S. citizens and certain non-U.S. citizens whose permission to live in and work in the United States does not expire. Under the agreement, Apple is required to pay up to $25 million in backpay and civil penalties, the largest award that the department has recovered under the anti-discrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality act (INA). “Creating unlawful barriers that make it harder for someone to seek a job because of their citizenship status will not be tolerated,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This resolution reflects the Civil Rights Division’s commitment to ending illegal discriminatory employment practices.” The settlement agreement resolves the department’s determination that Apple violated the INA’s anti-discrimination requirements during Apple’s recruitment for positions falling under the permanent labor certification program (PERM). The PERM program is administered by the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. It allows employers to sponsor workers for lawful permanent resident status in the United States after completing recruitment and meeting other program requirements. Any U.S. employer that utilizes the PERM program cannot illegally discriminate in hiring or recruitment based on citizenship or immigration status. The department’s investigation, which started in February 2019, found that Apple engaged in a pattern or practice of citizenship status discrimination in recruitment for positions it hired through PERM, and that the company’s unlawful discrimination prejudiced U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents, and those granted asylum or refugee status. These less effective recruitment practices deterred protected workers from applying to positions that Apple preferred to fill instead with PERM beneficiaries. Specifically, the department’s investigation found that Apple did not advertise positions Apple sought to fill through the PERM program on its external job website, even though its standard practice was to post other job positions on this website. It also required all PERM position applicants to mail paper applications, even though the company permitted electronic applications for other positions. In some instances, Apple did not consider certain applications for PERM positions from Apple employees if those applications were submitted electronically, as opposed to paper applications submitted through the mail. These less effective recruitment procedures nearly always resulted in few or no applications to PERM positions from applicants whose permission to work does not expire. Pursuant to the $25 million agreement, Apple is required to pay $6.75 million in civil penalties and establish an $18.25 million back pay fund for eligible discrimination victims. The agreement also requires Apple to ensure that its recruitment for PERM positions more closely matches its standard recruitment practices. Specifically, Apple will be required to conduct more expansive recruitment for all PERM positions, including posting PERM positions on its external job website, accepting electronic applications, and enabling applicants to PERM positions to be searchable in its applicant tracking system. Apple has implemented some of these measures after the department opened its investigation. Additionally, Apple will train its employees on the INA’s anti-discrimination requirements and be subject to departmental monitoring for the three-year period of the agreement. The Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) is responsible for enforcing the INA’s anti-discrimination provision. This law prohibits discrimination based on citizenship status and national origin in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices ; and retaliation and intimidation . Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video or watch an on-demand presentation . Find more information on how employers can avoid discrimination when hiring and recruiting on IER’s website . Workers who have questions about this settlement can contact IER at 1-888-473-3897 or ierapplecase@usdoj.gov . The public can get more information about how to get help from IER by visiting IER’s English and Spanish websites. Subscribe for email updates from IER. View the settlement agreement here. View Attachment A here.


title: El Departamento de Justicia obtiene un acuerdo histórico de $25 millones con Apple para resolver acusaciones de discriminación laboral basadas en el estatus de ciudadanía

body_text: El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha obtenido un acuerdo histórico con Apple Inc. (Apple) para resolver las acusaciones de que Apple discriminó ilegalmente en su contratación y reclutamiento, a ciudadanos de los EE. UU. y a ciertos no ciudadanos de los EE. UU. cuyo permiso para vivir y trabajar en los Estados Unidos no vence. En virtud del acuerdo, Apple está obligada a pagar hasta $25 millones en pago retroactivo y sanciones civiles, la mayor concesión que el Departamento ha recuperado en virtud de la disposición antidiscriminación de la ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad (INA, por sus siglas en inglés). «La creación de barreras ilícitas que le dificultan a alguien buscar un trabajo debido a su estatus de ciudadanía no se tolerará», dijo Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «Esta resolución refleja el compromiso de la División de Derechos Civiles de acabar con las prácticas de empleo discriminatorias ilegales». El acuerdo resuelve la determinación del Departamento de que Apple infringió los requisitos antidiscriminatorios de la INA durante el reclutamiento de Apple para puestos que forman parte del programa de certificación laboral permanente (PERM, por sus siglas en inglés). El programa PERM es administrado por el Departamento de Trabajo de los EE. UU. y el Departamento de Seguridad Nacional de los EE. UU. Permite a los empleadores patrocinar a los trabajadores para obtener el estatus de residente permanente legal en los Estados Unidos después de completar los pasos de reclutamiento requeridos y cumplir con otros requisitos del programa. Cualquier empleador en los Estados Unidos que utiliza el proceso PERM no puede discriminar ilegalmente en la contratación o el reclutamiento en función de la ciudadanía o el estatus migratorio. La investigación del Departamento, que empezó en febrero del 2019, encontró que Apple incurrió en un patrón o una práctica de discriminación por motivos de estatus de ciudadanía en su reclutamiento para puestos que contrató a través del programa PERM, y que la discriminación ilícita de la compañía perjudicó a ciudadanos de los EE: UU., nacionales de los EE. UU., residentes permanentes legales y aquellos a los que se les ha concedido el asilo o el estatus de refugiado. Estas prácticas de contratación menos eficaces disuadieron a los trabajadores protegidos de solicitar vacantes que Apple prefirió llenar, en su lugar, con beneficiarios de PERM. En concreto, la investigación del Departamento determinó que Apple no publicaba puestos que Apple pretendía cubrir mediante el programa PERM en su sitio web de trabajo externo, aunque su práctica estándar era publicar otros puestos de trabajo en este sitio web. También exigía que todos los solicitantes de puestos PERM enviaran solicitudes en papel, aunque la empresa permitía solicitudes electrónicas para otros puestos. En algunos casos, Apple no consideró ciertas solicitudes para puestos PERM de los empleados de Apple si esas solicitudes se enviaron electrónicamente, en lugar de las solicitudes en papel enviadas por correo. El resultado de estos procedimientos de reclutamiento menos eficaces casi siempre era la escasa presentación de solicitudes, si es que alguna, para puestos PERM de solicitantes cuyo permiso para trabajar no vence. De conformidad con el acuerdo de $25 millones, a Apple se le requiere pagar $6,75 millones en sanciones civiles y establecer un fondo de pagos retroactivos de $18,25 millones para las víctimas de discriminación elegibles. Por otra parte, el acuerdo requiere que Apple se asegure de que su contratación para puestos PERM se ajuste más a sus prácticas habituales de contratación. En concreto, Apple deberá realizar un reclutamiento más amplio para todos los puestos PERM, incluida la publicación de puestos PERM en su sitio web de empleo externo, la aceptación de solicitudes electrónicas y la posibilidad de buscar a candidatos para puestos PERM en su sistema de seguimiento de candidatos. Apple ha implementado algunas de estas medidas después de que el Departamento abriera su investigación. Además, Apple capacitará a sus empleados sobre los requisitos antidiscriminatorios de la INA y se someterá a la supervisión por parte del Departamento durante el período de tres años del acuerdo. La Sección de Derechos de Inmigrantes y Empleados (IER, por sus siglas en inglés) de la División de Derechos Civiles es responsable de hacer cumplir la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA. Esta ley prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de estatus de ciudadanía o nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido o reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión; prácticas documentales injustas y represalias e intimidación . Puede aprender más sobre el trabajo de la IER y cómo obtener asistencia a través de este vídeo corto o visualice una presentación a la carta . Hay más información disponible en el sitio web de la IER sobre cómo los empleadores pueden evitar la discriminación en los procesos de contratación y reclutamiento. Los trabajadores que tengan preguntas sobre este acuerdo pueden comunicarse con la IER al 1-888-473-3897 o ierapplecase@usdoj.gov . El público puede obtener más información sobre cómo conseguir ayuda de IER en los sitios web de la IER inglés y español . Inscríbase para recibir actualizaciones por correo electrónico de la IER. View the settlement agreement here. View Attachment A here.


title: Justice Department Secures Agreement with Cox Communications to Resolve Claims the Company Used a Georgia Tech Recruiting Platform to Discriminate

body_text: Marking 37 years since Congress passed the anti-discrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), the Justice Department announced today that it secured an agreement with Cox Communications Inc., a Georgia-based provider of residential and business telecommunication services to resolve claims of discrimination. Specifically, this agreement resolves the department’s determination that Cox Communications violated the INA by using a Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) on-campus recruiting platform to post dozens of discriminatory job advertisements that unlawfully excluded students and alumni based on their citizenship status. The department previously secured agreements with 30 other employers to resolve similar claims — 16 in June 2022 , four in September 2022 and another 10 in May 2023 — and with Georgia Tech in August 2023 . “With this latest resolution, the Justice Department has now held Georgia Tech and 31 employers accountable for their roles in unlawful hiring discrimination based on students’ citizenship status,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “These agreements have secured more than $2.5 million in civil penalties and demonstrate the department’s commitment to ensuring that college students and graduates embarking on their careers have a fair chance to compete for jobs.” The department started its investigations after a Georgia Tech student, who was then a lawful permanent resident, complained about a U.S. citizens-only internship advertisement on Georgia Tech’s on-campus job recruitment platform. The department’s investigation of the student’s complaint revealed dozens of other discriminatory advertisements on the platform, including several posted by Cox Communications. The department found that Cox Communications posted numerous job advertisements that unlawfully excluded workers granted asylum or refugee status, lawful permanent residents and, in one instance, U.S. citizens. The department also determined that Cox Communications used features of Georgia Tech’s online platform to deter and automatically exclude qualified students from applying because of their citizenship status. Under this agreement, Cox Communications is required to pay a civil penalty of $459,895 and to train its recruiting staff on the INA’s anti-discrimination provision. The agreement also prohibits Cox Communications from including specific citizenship or immigration status designations in their campus job postings unless the restrictions are legally required. This agreement is part of the department’s efforts to combat discrimination related to artificial intelligence and automated systems, as described in the Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence . The INA’s anti-discrimination provision was passed as part of the Immigration Reform and Control Act in November 1986. This law prohibits employers and recruiters from limiting jobs based on citizenship or immigration status unless required by a law, regulation, executive order or government contract. The INA protects those granted asylum or refugee status, recent lawful permanent residents, U.S. citizens and U.S. nationals from citizenship status discrimination in hiring, firing and recruitment or referral for a fee. Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video . IER’s website has more information on how employers can avoid discriminating based on citizenship status when hiring and recruiting . Applicants or employees who believe they were discriminated against based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing, recruitment or during the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify); or subjected to retaliation, may file a charge . The public can also call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); email IER@usdoj.gov ; sign up for a live webinar or watch an on-demand presentation ; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Subscribe for email updates from IER. View the settlement agreement here.


title: El Departamento de Justicia logra un acuerdo con Cox Communications para resolver acusaciones de que la empresa utilizó una plataforma de reclutamiento de Georgia Tech para discriminar

body_text: En el 37º aniversario de la aprobación por parte del Congreso de la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad (INA, por sus siglas en inglés), el Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha logrado un acuerdo con Cox Communications Inc., un proveedor de servicios de telecomunicaciones residenciales y empresariales con sede en Georgia para resolver acusaciones de discriminación. En concreto, este acuerdo resuelve la determinación del Departamento que Cox Communications vulneró la INA mediante el uso de una plataforma de reclutamiento en el recinto universitario del Instituto de Tecnología de Georgia («Georgia Tech») para publicar decenas de anuncios de empleo discriminatorios que excluyeron, de manera ilícita, a estudiantes y antiguos alumnos en función de su estatus de ciudadanía. Previamente, el Departamento llegó a un acuerdo con otros 30 empleadores para resolver acusaciones similares: 16 en junio del 2022 , cuatro en septiembre del 2022 y otros 10 en mayo del 2023 —y con Georgia Tech en agosto del 2023 . «Con este último acuerdo, el Departamento de Justicia ha hecho a Georgia Tech y a 31 empleadores responsables del papel que han desempeñado en la discriminación ilícita en la contratación basada en el estatus de ciudadanía de los estudiantes», afirmó Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «Estos acuerdos han obtenido más de $2.5 millones en sanciones civiles y demuestran el compromiso del Departamento de garantizar que los estudiantes universitarios y sus exalumnos que están comenzando sus carreras laborales tengan una oportunidad equitativa de competir por trabajos». El Departamento inició sus investigaciones después de que un estudiante de Georgia Tech, que para aquel entonces era residente permanente legal, se quejó de un anuncio de prácticas restringido a ciudadanos de los EE. UU. en la plataforma de reclutamiento laboral en el recinto universitario de Georgia Tech. La investigación del Departamento de la denuncia del estudiante reveló decenas de otros anuncios discriminatorios en la plataforma, incluidos varios publicados por Cox Communications. El Departamento descubrió que Cox Communications publicó numerosos anuncios de trabajo que excluían, de manera ilegal, a los trabajadores a los que se les ha concedido el asilo o el estatus de refugiado, residentes permanentes legales y, en un caso, ciudadanos estadounidenses. Por otra parte, el Departamento también determinó que Cox Communications utilizó características de la plataforma en línea de Georgia Tech para disuadir y excluir automáticamente a los estudiantes calificados de solicitar puestos de trabajo, debido a su estatus de ciudadanía. Este acuerdo requiere que Cox Communications pague una sanción civil de $459,895 y que capacite a su personal de reclutamiento en cuanto a la disposición antidiscriminación de la INA. El acuerdo también prohíbe a Cox Communications incluir designaciones específicas de ciudadanía o estatus migratorio en sus anuncios de trabajo en el recinto universitario, a menos que las restricciones sean legalmente obligatorias. Este acuerdo forma parte de los esfuerzos del Departamento por combatir la discriminación relacionada con la inteligencia artificial y los sistemas automatizados, como se describe en la Orden ejecutiva sobre el desarrollo y uso seguro y fiable de la inteligencia artificial . La disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA se aprobó como parte de la ley de Reforma y Control de la Inmigración en noviembre de 1986. Esta ley prohíbe que los empleadores y reclutadores restrinjan los trabajos en función de la ciudadanía o el estatus migratorio, a menos que lo exija una ley, una regulación, una orden ejecutiva o un contrato gubernamental. La INA protege a aquellos a los que se les ha concedido el asilo o el estatus de refugiado, residentes permanentes legales recientes, ciudadanos de los EE. UU. y nacionales de los EE. UU. de la discriminación por motivos de estatus de ciudadanía en los procesos de contratación, despido y reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión. Aprenda más sobre el trabajo de la IER y cómo conseguir ayuda mediante este vídeo corto . El sitio web de la IER tiene más información sobre cómo los empleadores pueden evitar la discriminación a base del estatus de ciudadanía al contratar y reclutar. Aquellos aspirantes o empleados que creen haber sido discriminados por motivos de su ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido, reclutamiento o verificación de la elegibilidad para trabajar (Formulario I-9 e E-Verify) o sujetos a represalias pueden presentar una denuncia . El público también puede llamar a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores al 1‑800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); llamar a la línea directa de la IER para empleadores al 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); enviar un correo electrónico a IER@usdoj.gov ; inscribirse a un seminario en línea gratuito o visualizar una presentación a la carta; o visitar los sitios web de la IER en inglés y español . Inscríbase para recibir actualizaciones por correo electrónico de la IER. View the settlement agreement here.


title: Sarasota Felon Sentenced To 37 Months In Prison For Possessing Firearm

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell today sentenced Marquis Henry Mack (33, Sarasota) to 37 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Mack had pleaded guilty on August 9, 2023. According to court documents, on January 4, 2023, deputies from the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office responded to Mack’s residence to serve a narcotics-related arrest warrant that had been issued in Manatee County. Mack was standing in his driveway when the deputies approached him. When informed of the pending arrest warrant, Mack turned around and began to walk toward his garage, failing to obey all verbal commands to stop. The deputies grabbed ahold of Mack, and as Mack struggled to break free, the deputies pulled a loaded SCCY CPX-1 9mm caliber pistol from Mack’s front pocket. Mack, a previously convicted felon, had served 18 months in state prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon in 2021. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and Samantha E. Beckman. 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: Two Indicted for Conspiracy Involving Manufacturing of Counterfeit Pills Containing Fentanyl

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – Two North Shore men have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for their alleged roles in a conspiracy involving the distribution and manufacturing of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl and other controlled substances. Elmidio Crisostomo, 28, of Lynnfield, and David Depena, 30, of Lynn, were indicted on one count each of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Both men were previously arrested and charged by complaint in June 2023. It is alleged that Crisostomo and Depena used an apartment in Lynn to manufacture counterfeit pills containing fentanyl and other controlled substances. Crisostomo and Depena then allegedly distributed thousands of these pills to customers in towns including Malden and Revere. It is further alleged that, during a search of the Lynn apartment in June 2023, a large hand-crank-style press used for manufacturing pills as well as multiple kilograms of pills and powder containing fentanyl and other controlled substances were recovered. The charge of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances provides for a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Lynn Police Department and the Revere Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Former postal worker pleads guilty to attempted receipt of child pornography

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Michael Fratini, 38, of Dunkirk, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to attempted receipt of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum of 20 years. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron J. Mango and Franz M. Wright, who are handling the case, stated that Fratini used his cellular telephone to solicit nude photos and videos of the pre-pubescent daughters of a female acquaintance, whom he met in October 2021 through a dating application. After meeting in person, the female acquaintance did not hear from Fratini again for several months. In March 2022, they spoke over the telephone and Fratini told her that he had a mother/daughter fantasy. He then sent a follow-up text message asking for videos and/or pictures of her daughters to fulfill his fantasies. After receiving the text message, the female acquaintance filed a report with the Sheriff’s Office. At the direction of the Sheriff’s Office, she continued text message conversations with Fratini. On March 18, 2022, investigators surveilled Fratini leaving his workplace at the time, the U.S. Postal Service on Grant Street in Buffalo, and travel to an Amherst hotel where he was expecting to meet the female acquaintance. After arriving at the hotel, Fratini was taken into custody. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff John Garcia and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia. Sentencing is scheduled for March 18, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Vilardo. # # # #


title: Manchester Man Arrested for Defrauding State and Federal Taxpayers

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Manchester man was arrested for his involvement in a scheme to fraudulently obtain CARES Act funds from the United States government and the State of New York, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Kyereem Sackey, 23, was indicted on October 25, 2023, on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of bank fraud. Sackey was arrested this morning and released on conditions. According to the charging documents, Sackey used social media to conspire with others to file false and fraudulent unemployment insurance claims. Sackey filed unemployment insurance claims in the State of New York on behalf of a co-defendant, of which he was not entitled. When the money was deposited into the co-defendant’s bank account, a portion of the money was sent to Sackey and another co-defendant. The indictment alleges that Sackey and his co-defendants filed approximately $50,000 in fraudulent unemployment insurance claims. Sackey also used a co-defendant’s information to apply for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan using a false and fraudulent business that did not exist. Sackey provided the bank with false documents, including fabricated tax documents. The indictment alleges that Sackey fraudulently applied for approximately $13,000 in PPP loans. The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Manchester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Kennedy is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Registered sex offender pleads guilty to possession of child pornography

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Brandon Hayward, 41, a registered sex offender from Canandaigua, NY, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography following a prior conviction for sexual abuse, before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa. The charge carries a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that in November 2021, a search warrant was executed at Hayward’s Canandaigua apartment, related to an investigation involving potential firearms offenses. During the search, several digital devices were seized from the residence, which were initially forensically analyzed for firearms crimes but were found to contain child pornography. Further examination recovered several images of child pornography, as well as videos that Hayward produced via Skype, in 2017, involving a 16-year-old minor from another state. Hayward is a registered sex offender, following a 2000 conviction for Sexual Abuse in the First Degree. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia. Sentencing is scheduled for March 7, 2024, before Judge Siragusa. # # # #


title: Erie, PA man going to prison for eight years after having sex with 15 y/o

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Tristan Pearson, 26, of Erie, PA, who was convicted of possession of child pornography, was sentenced to serve 96 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan P. Cantil, who handled the case, stated that between January and May 2018, Pearson knowingly engaged in a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old female (Victim) in the Western District of New York. On two separate occasions, Pearson filmed himself having sexual relations with the Victim using his cellular telephone. Pearson then distributed those videos to others via text message. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia. # # # #


title: Picayune Man Sentenced to over Five Years in Prison  for Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: Gulfport, Miss. – A Picayune, Mississippi man was sentenced to 69 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute 12 grams of heroin. Damon Andrew Stafford, 55, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport. According to court records, in 2015, an investigation began into a large-scale drug trafficking organization located largely in Picayune (Pearl River County). In 2019, Damon Stafford and Eric Slaydon were identified as being part of the conspiracy. Federal agents used a confidential source to begin making purchases of methamphetamine and heroin. On June 5, 2019, a confidential source purchased 12 grams of heroin from Damon Andrew Stafford and Eric Andrew Slaydon at Stafford’s residence in Picayune. A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Stafford and Slaydon. Both defendants pled guilty. Slaydon was sentenced on August 30, 2023, to 84 months in prison. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations with the assistance of the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. 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.


title: Central Georgian Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Possessing  Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Georgia, Middle

body_text: MACON, Ga. – A Central Georgia resident was sentenced to serve 20 years in prison after he admitted to possessing hundreds of images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), also known as child pornography, including those involving the graphic abuse of very young children. David Health, 38, of Macon and Gray, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 240 months in prison to be followed by 20 years of supervised release by Chief U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on Nov. 8, after he pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography on Feb. 1. Heath will have to register as a sex offender for life upon release from prison. Heath is not eligible for parole. “David Heath and other predators who actively seek out gratification from the horrifying sexual abuse of children are a danger to kids,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “The Middle District of Georgia is blessed with law enforcement relentlessly dedicated to protecting the innocent and bringing child predators to justice.” “The GBI’s Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit will continue to work tirelessly to protect innocent victims of online exploitation. We are grateful for the partnerships we maintain with our local and federal agencies to bring these predators to justice,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. According to court documents, GBI received a Cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) on Jan. 17, 2020, that contained approximately 300 images of CSAM. The images, including some depicting the sexual abuse of pre-pubescent minor children, was uploaded to a Google account used by Heath. Another Cybertip containing 75 CSAM files depicting minor prepubescent children engaged in sexual acts was submitted on Feb. 13, 2020, from the same account. In addition, 43 more Cybertips like the aforementioned instances were discovered to have come from the same user. GBI executed a search warrant at Heath’s Macon residence on March 27, 2020, and several electronic devices were seized, including laptops, cell phones, HD cards, USB sticks and external hard drives. In all, Heath possessed 2081 images of children being sexually assaulted and abused, including 116 images depicting an infant or toddler being sexually abused and one image of sado-masochistic conduct involving a child. Heath has a prior state felony conviction for aggravated assault of a peace officer in Bibb County, Georgia, Superior Court; his parole was revoked in 2020 for the offenses of possession of methamphetamine and five counts of violation computer pornography and child exploitation. The case was investigated by the GBI. Criminal Chief Leah McEwen prosecuted the case.


title: Rochester mail carrier arrested, charged with theft and destruction of mail

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Marlene Cruz, 40, of Rochester, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with delay or destruction of mail and theft of mail matter by officer or employee. The charges carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in January 2022, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) received complaints from individuals stating that their mail had been tampered with in late 2021. Subsequent investigation determined that Cruz, a full-time Mail Carrier, worked the mail route involving the complaints. Further investigation determined that between January 2022, and November 2023, Cruz routinely opened envelopes and parcels, removing items such as ticket stubs, documents, cash, lottery tickets, and gift cards, on dozens of occasions. In May and November 2023, investigators conducted mail integrity tests, placing greeting cards containing cash and gift cards in the mail to be delivered by Cruz. On November 2, 2023, at the end of her shift, investigators detained Cruz and executed a warrant for her person and personal belongings. During the search, they recovered a gift card from one of the mail integrity test greeting cards inside Cruz’ personal duffle bag. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent-in-Charge Northeast Field Office. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Jamaican National Sentenced for Role in Fraudulent Sweepstakes Scheme that Targeted Elderly Victims

component: Civil Division

body_text: A Jamaican national was sentenced today in federal court in Scranton, Pennsylvania, to 192 months in prison for his role in a fraudulent sweepstakes scheme that targeted elderly victims in the United States. Damone Oakley, 41, of St. James Parish, Jamaica, was extradited to the United States in 2022 and pleaded guilty in July 2023 to two counts of mail and two counts of wire fraud. From at least 2010 through 2019, Oakley participated in a fraudulent sweepstakes scheme that targeted elderly and vulnerable victims. Oakley’s victims received mailings, text messages or phone calls in which they were falsely told that they had won millions of dollars and luxury vehicles in a sweepstakes, but first needed to pay taxes and fees in order to claim their winnings. Oakley used phony names during the scheme, including “Officer Alex Logan” and “Officer Stan Valentine,” and instructed his victims on how to send their money (and to whom the funds should be sent). His victims were located throughout the United States, and used wire transfers, direct bank deposits, the U.S. Postal Service and private commercial mail carriers to send money directly to Oakley as well as to individuals in the United States and elsewhere who served as intermediaries and transmitted the money to Oakley. In addition to sending cash or wire transfers, Oakley’s victims were directed to purchase electronics, jewelry and clothing, which were sent to mail forwarding services in Florida, and then on to Oakley in Jamaica. The victims never received any “winnings.” Oakley’s victims lost hundreds of thousands of dollars during the course of the scheme. “The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and its law enforcement partners will vigorously pursue individuals who prey on vulnerable and elderly victims through fraudulent schemes,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Through our National Elder Fraud Hotline, we identify perpetrators of these schemes and prioritize the pursuit of those who deliberately target vulnerable consumers, who often can least afford to sustain financial losses.” “This sentence reflects our office’s commitment to protecting the most vulnerable members of our society and punishing those who engage in this type of behavior,” said U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. “Working together with our skilled and dedicated law enforcement partners, Oakley was held accountable for his crimes.” “There was a time when scammers operating beyond our borders felt they could operate with impunity. Those days are gone,” said Inspector in Charge Eric Shen, of the U.S. Postal Inspection Services (USPIS) Criminal Investigations Group. “Postal inspectors track down these scammers no matter where they are. And with our Department of Justice partners’ extradition powers, scammers are brought to the United States to face the music. In this case, it’s to the tune of 192 months in prison.” Senior Litigation Counsel Linda I. Marks of the Civil Division's Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Haugsby for the Middle District of Pennsylvania prosecuted the case. USPIS investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Jamaica to secure the arrest and extradition of Oakley. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud, and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch . For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, visit www.justice.gov/usao-mdpa . Information about the Justice Department’s Elder Fraud Initiative is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice .


title: Louisville Man Sentenced to Over 2 Years in Federal Prison for Downtown Louisville Bomb Threat Hoax

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Louisville, KY – A local man was sentenced today to 2 years and 9 months in federal prison for a downtown Louisville bomb threat hoax. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and Chief Jackie Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement. According to court records, Jimmy Smith, Jr., 50, was sentenced today to 2 years and 9 months in prison, followed by a 3-year term of supervised release, for providing false information and a bomb threat hoax. On August 12, 2022, Smith rode a bicycle in downtown Louisville while carrying a backpack. He placed an item in a high-traffic, business area of downtown Louisville near the riverfront. The package was labeled “bomb.” The Louisville Metro Police Department bomb squad dismantled the “device” and determined that it was not operational. However, a significant area of downtown Louisville had to be shut down for several hours to clear the device. This case was investigated by the FBI and the Louisville Metro Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jo E. Lawless prosecuted the case. ###


title: Armed Charlotte Man Indicted For Assaulting Two U.S. Postal Service Employees On the Same Day Appears In Federal Court

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal indictment was unsealed in court late yesterday, following the arrest of Dujuan Marquise McNeil, 38, of Charlotte, for assaulting two U.S. Postal Service employees on the same day and related firearms offenses, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), which oversees Charlotte, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to allegations in the indictment, on or about June 1, 2023, McNeil, used a deadly weapon to assault a U.S. Postal Service employee, identified in the indictment as K.S., while she was at work. The indictment also alleges that on the same day McNeill used a deadly weapon to assault a second U.S. Postal Service employee, identified as A.H., while she was working. As alleged in the indictment, during both incidents, McNeil possessed and brandished a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, that being the assaults. The indictment further alleges that, on June 14, 2023, McNeil possessed a number of firearms, including an assault rifle, knowing that he had previously been convicted of a felony and was not permitted to possess a firearm. In addition to the criminal charges, the indictment lists four firearms, a ghost gun, magazines, and ammunition seized from the defendant’s residence, which are subject to forfeiture for violation of federal law. The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law. McNeil is currently in federal custody. The maximum penalty for each count of assault of a federal employee by means of a dangerous weapon is 20 years in prison. The minimum penalty for each count of possession and brandishing of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence is seven years and the maximum is life in prison. The charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon carries a statutory maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney King commended USPIS for their investigation of the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Kent of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.


title: Ten Members of International Cyber Fraud Ring Indicted for “Refund Fraud” Scheme Targeting Online Retailers

component: Cyber Division (FBI)

body_text: An indictment in the Northern District of Oklahoma was unsealed today, charging ten men for conspiracy to commit wire fraud as a part of an international conspiracy to defraud online retailers through a variety of schemes collectively known as “refund fraud”. From April 2019, through the date of the Indictment on October 19, 2023, the self-styled Artemis Refund Group (“ARG”) engaged in numerous refund fraud schemes to steal goods from online retailers for themselves and others. ARG advertised their refund fraud services heavily on online messaging forums, which resulted in hundreds of customers of the fraud placing thousands of refund fraud orders. Some of these fraudulently refunded orders were shipped to the Northern District of Oklahoma, giving rise to venue in this district. As part of the refund fraud conspiracy, ARG would instruct fraud customers to purchase a product of their choice at one of the many retailers they targeted, collect information about the order, and then contact the retailer to initiate a fraudulent refund transaction using a variety of methods tailored to the particular retailer. After ARG was successful in deceiving the retailer into processing a fraudulent refund, the fraud customers would maintain possession of the item, but would be refunded the entire purchase price. ARG charged customers of the fraud between 15-20% of the total price of the refunded item. Members of ARG also engaged in the scheme to obtain stolen goods for themselves and resell them on online marketplaces for profit. These refund fraud schemes resulted in millions of dollars in losses to online retailers such as Amazon, Walmart, Target, Wayfair, Dell Technologies, Dicks’ Sporting Goods, HP, and Adidas, among others. Wyatt Douglas Miller , 24, San Marcos, CA; Kevin Ramses Rocha , 24, Littlerock, CA; Tyler Dewayne Rogers , 24, Goleta, CA; Jonah Maxwell Fesman , 23, Altadena, CA; Antonio Ernesto Munoz , 24, Palmdale, CA; Juan Manuel Camacho-Zarate , 25, Santa Maria, CA; Cameron David Martin , 23, Winter Garden, FL; Ilyess Hadri Talbi , 20, Columbus, OH; Steven Lin , 27, Philadelphia, PA; Gilbert Immanuel , 25, Lutz, FL participated in the scheme, along with unindicted coconspirators in Singapore, Canada, and the United Kingdom. “The indictment of the members of the Artemis Refund Group shows that cybercriminals cannot hide behind the anonymity of the internet,” said U.S. Attorney Clinton J. Johnson. “Thanks to efforts of the FBI and the prosecutors of my office, the ARG conspirators will now face justice in the Northern District of Oklahoma. We will continue to work with victim companies and our partners here and abroad to ensure cybercriminals cannot misuse the internet for illicit gain.” “The individuals named in today’s indictment all had an alleged role in an international conspiracy to cheat the online retail system and profit at the expense of American businesses,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “These charges illustrate the FBI’s dedication and ongoing efforts with our partners across the globe to combat fraud in its many forms.” If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence or fines after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The cyber squads of the FBI’s Oklahoma City and Birmingham Field Offices, as well as agents from the FBI Seattle Field Office are investigating the case. This case is part of the FBI’s Operation Chargeback, an ongoing investigation into ARG and other refund fraud groups across the US and internationally. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Nassar, Matthew P. Cyran, and Ashley Robert are prosecuting the case. Substantial assistance and cooperation was provided by Target, Amazon’s Customer Protection and Enforcement Team, Walmart, Wayfair, Dell Technologies, Dick’s Sporting Goods, HP, Adidas, Google’s CyberCrime Investigation Group, and eBay’s Criminal & Regulatory Investigations Team. For more resources on cybercrime, visit www.ic3.gov . An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Northern District of Oklahoma Indictment


title: South Carolina Man Sentenced to 50 Months in Prison for being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm in Connection with Gun Trafficking Scheme

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, United States District Judge Frederic Block sentenced Darrell Robinson to 50 months in prison for illegal gun possession, including an AR-15 style rifle, in connection with firearms trafficking scheme. Robinson pleaded guilty in April 2023 to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the sentence. “I have no doubt that lives may have been saved and tragedies averted by the seizure of these lethal weapons that were transported to our district from out-of-state by a convicted felon,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Today’s sentence is validation of the tireless work of this Office and our law enforcement partners who are working to protect the community from gun violence.” On August 8, 2022, law enforcement learned that Robinson would be traveling in a vehicle to the Willets Point section of Queens transporting firearms to sell. Acting pursuant to a judicially-issued search warrant, law enforcement agents stopped Robinson’s vehicle and found a bag containing multiple firearms. Recovered were a Smith & Wesson .380 caliber pistol, a Taurus 9 mm pistol, a Bersa .380 caliber pistol, a Springfield Armory 9 mm pistol, a Smith & Wesson 9 mm pistol and a Smith & Wesson .22 caliber rifle, an AR-15 style rifle. Robinson has at least seven previous state felony convictions, including for armed robbery and aggravated assault. 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. As part of the program, U.S. Attorney’s Offices work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and their local communities to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York is currently partnering with the SCPD, the New York City Police Department (NYPD), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), ATF, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (DHS/HSI), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in its PSN mission. The government’s case is being handled by the office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States Attorney Kaitlin McTague and Special Assistant United States Attorney Sean Fern are in charge of the prosecution. The Defendant : Darrell Robinson Age: 30 Columbia, South Carolina E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-403 (FB)


title: Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Three Bank Robberies, Shooting at Jefferson County Deputies

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Catherine D. Perry on Thursday sentenced a man who committed three bank robberies and then shot at Jefferson County Sheriff’s deputies before forcing his way into a woman’s apartment to 25 years in prison. Judge Perry also ordered Cameron A. Thomas, 31, of Florissant, to repay $19,262 to the banks he robbed. Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald Boyce said during Thursday’s hearing that Thomas’ robberies escalated in both seriousness and violence. On Oct. 24, 2020, while dressed as a woman, Thomas handed a note to a teller at the First Community State Bank in Jefferson County that said, “put money in the bag,” Three days later, while Thomas was again disguised as a woman, he entered the Electro Savings Credit Union in St. Louis County, pointed a silver semiautomatic pistol at a teller and said, “Give me all your money.” The next day, Thomas returned to the First Community State Bank wearing a red coat, black pants and a surgical mask. He said, “This is a robbery, put your hands up,” while pointing a pistol at an employee. He then put a white plastic bag on the counter and told another employee to fill it up. Employees called police, and a Jefferson County Sheriff’s deputy who was in the area tried to stop Thomas after he left the bank. The resulting vehicle chase ended at the Walden Pond apartments in High Ridge. Thomas fled his vehicle on foot, firing multiple times at the deputies following him. He then forced his way into a woman’s apartment at gunpoint. Deputies knocked at the door, and pulled the woman from the apartment when she signaled to them that something was wrong. Thomas then changed into the woman’s clothes and hid his 9mm pistol inside the apartment before his arrest. Thomas also admitted that on Oct. 22, 2020, he was in possession of an AK-47-style assault rifle. Police found the rifle in Thomas’ vehicle after a traffic crash. Thomas is a convicted felon and is barred from possessing firearms. Boyce said Thursday that one of the banks that Thomas robbed was no longer allowing customers in the lobby due to security concerns. Thomas pleaded guilty in August to two counts of armed bank robbery, bank robbery, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The case was investigated by Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald Boyce is prosecuting the case.


title: Justice Department Secures Agreement with South Dakota Hotel and Sports Lounge to Resolve Allegations of Discrimination Against Native Americans

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that the owners and operators of the Grand Gateway Hotel and the Cheers Sports Lounge and Casino, a hotel and sports bar located in Rapid City, South Dakota, have entered into a consent decree resolving the Department’s lawsuit alleging that the defendants discriminated against Native American customers in violation of Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Under the consent decree, which still must be approved by the U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota, Connie Uhre will be barred from serving as an officer or director of the company or from exercising any management duties or being involved in any operations on behalf of the Grand Gateway Hotel for four years. The defendants will also issue a public apology and send it specifically to tribal organizations in South Dakota and throughout the Great Plains region. “As alleged in the complaint, the defendants both prevented Native Americans from booking rooms at the hotel and made public statements discouraging Native Americans from setting foot on the business’s property,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Statements like the one made by a defendant in this case – that ‘[w]e will no long[er] allow any Native American on property,’ – are reminiscent of a long history of prejudice and exclusion Native American communities have faced. The Justice Department will continue to work alongside Native American communities to fulfill the promise of equal protection under the law.” “The defendants’ conduct in this case was egregious, motivated by naked animus, and amounted to an outright ban on Native American customers seeking access to a public establishment,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This kind of hateful conduct invokes a long and painful history of negative stereotypes against and exclusion of the Native American community. We applaud the Tribal elders, local officials, and advocates who took a stand against this shameful conduct. Our settlement should send a message to public establishments across the country that their doors must be open to all communities regardless of race. As we commemorate Native American Heritage Month, the Justice Department underscores its commitment to stand with Native Americans whenever they face unlawful discrimination.” “This consent decree affirms what should have never been at issue in the first place — that Native Americans have the fundamental right to receive equal services at places of public accommodation,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell for the District of South Dakota. “Although this agreement does not change the reprehensible behavior of Ms. Uhre or the harm caused by racial discrimination, the consent decree mandates Uhre’s removal from corporate control, the immediate cessation of discriminatory policies and the implementation of a series of preventative measures that must be taken at the expense of the corporation. The ongoing involvement of the Justice Department stands as a forceful reminder to all business owners in South Dakota that refusing services on the basis of race is against the law and will not be tolerated.” The Department’s lawsuit, filed in October 2022, alleged that, since at least March 20, 2022, the Retsel Corporation and two of its directors, Connie Uhre and Nicholas Uhre, discriminated against Native American customers through policies and practices that denied Native Americans the full and equal enjoyment of access to the services, accommodations, and privileges at the Grand Gateway Hotel and the Cheers Sports Lounge and Casino. Specifically, the complaint alleged that on or around March 20, 2022, Connie Uhre told other Rapid City hotel owners and managers that she did “not want to allow Natives on property…. The problem is we do not know the nice ones from the bad natives…so we just have to say no to them!” Uhre then announced on Facebook that “[w]e will no long[sic] allow any Native American” in the Grand Gateway or in the Cheers Sports Lounge and Casino. The complaint further alleged that on at least two occasions, on March 21 and March 22, 2022, respectively, the defendants turned away Native Americans who sought to book rooms in the Grand Gateway. The apology, issued as part of the consent decree, will include the following statement: “We extend our sincere apology to all for the statements made by Connie Uhre on March 19-20, 2022, regarding Native Americans. Ms. Uhre’s comments were not consistent with the values or polices of our company or of our businesses, the Grand Gateway Hotel and Cheers Sports Lounge. We deeply regret the pain or harm Ms. Uhre’s statements have caused within our Native American community. We want to make clear that we welcome all Native Americans to the Grand Gateway Hotel and Cheers Sports Lounge.” The consent decree also requires that the defendants retain a compliance officer to oversee compliance with its terms, implement and publish an anti-discrimination policy, institute a complaint process, undergo training, and develop an affirmative marketing plan. These provisions will be in effect for the next three years. Title II prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, or national origin in places of public accommodation, such as hotels and places of entertainment. Under Title II, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division can obtain injunctive relief that changes policies and practices to remedy the discriminatory conduct. Title II does not authorize the division to obtain monetary damages for customers who are victims of discrimination. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt . Individuals may report discrimination in places of public accommodation that violates Title II by calling the Justice Department at 1-833-591-0291, or submitting a report online . View the consent decree here.


title: Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Child Pornography Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jonathan Levi Rider, 19, of Charleston, was sentenced today to four years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, for possession of prepubescent child pornography. According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 26, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Rider’s residence and seized Rider’s cell phone. Rider admitted to officers that he clicked on internet links that contained child pornography. Officers found more than a dozen images and videos depicting child pornography on his seized cell phone, and more than 100 videos and images depicting child pornography on his Kik Messenger mobile app account. On November 17, 2022, law enforcement officers executed another search warrant at Rider’s residence. Officers seized Rider’s new cell phone, and on it they found several videos depicting child pornography. One of the videos depicted an adult male anally sexually assaulting a prepubescent child. Officers found a total of 92 videos and 44 images depicting prepubescent child pornography on Rider’s cell phones and Kik account. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the West Virginia State Police. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Julie M. White and Francesca C. Rollo prosecuted the case. This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-24. ###


title: Operation Smoke and Mirrors Update:  Charleston Woman Sentenced to Prison for Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking Organization

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Telisa Rene McCauley, 31, of Charleston, was sentenced today to nine years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, admitting to a role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated in the Charleston area. According to court documents and statements made in court, McCauley admitted to conspiring with a co-defendant to obtain methamphetamine on or about February 4, 2023. McCauley attempted to obtain methamphetamine from her co-defendant prior to that date, but was told that the co-defendant was out of methamphetamine. The co-defendant then offered McCauley a discount if she would travel to obtain the methamphetamine on the co-defendant’s behalf. McCauley agreed, traveled to the designated location, and obtained the methamphetamine. Law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of McCauley’s vehicle as she traveled back to the Charleston area, searched her car, and recovered approximately 7 pounds of methamphetamine in the back seat. McCauley is among 32 individuals indicted as a result of Operation Smoke and Mirrors, a major drug trafficking investigation that has yielded the largest methamphetamine seizure in West Virginia history. Law enforcement seized well over 400 pounds of methamphetamine as well as 40 pounds of cocaine, 3 pounds of fentanyl, 19 firearms and $935,000 in cash. McCauley and 21 other defendants have pleaded guilty. Indictments against the other defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia National Guard Counter Drug program, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and the Raleigh County Sheriff's Office. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department. Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case. The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-31. ###


title: Milwaukee-area man receives 20 years in federal prison for sex trafficking minors and for transporting child pornography

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on November 9, 2023, Senior United States District Judge William C. Griesbach sentenced Jaron Jay Jackson (age: 36) to a total sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, followed by ten years’ supervised release, and 25 years of sex-offender registration. Jackson previously pled guilty to commercially sex trafficking two 15-year-old victims, and transporting child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1591 and 2252A. According to court documents, Jackson, who lived in the Milwaukee area, was released from the Wisconsin prison system on extended supervision and subsequently absconded to Illinois, where he began sex trafficking females. Jackson enticed two 15-year-old runaways from Oshkosh and Green Bay to join him in Chicago-area hotels. Soon after they arrived, Jackson posted sexually provocative pictures of the minor victims as advertisements on sex-trafficking websites. Jackson then directed the minor victims and an adult female victim to engage in commercial sexual acts with clients in Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, and Minnesota. Jackson repeatedly engaged in sexual activity with one minor victim and attempted to do so with the second minor victim, who contacted family members to return home to Wisconsin. Jackson also recorded videos of a minor engaging in sexual activity with him, which officers recovered from his cell phone when they arrested him after he arrived in Wisconsin via Amtrak from Illinois. In sentencing Jackson, Judge Griesbach emphasized the severity of Jackson’s criminal conduct in targeting and exploiting minors, his aggravated criminal history, as well as the need for just punishment, to protect the public from Jackson, and to deter others from committing such offenses. The investigation was conducted by the Oshkosh Police Department and the Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Milwaukee Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Funnell. 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 U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . # # # For Additional Information Contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov 414-297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: Greenbrier County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Rance Allen Mitchem, 41, of Lewisburg, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 27, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Lewisburg apartment where Mitchem was staying. Officers seized approximately 38 grams of methamphetamine, scales, packaging materials, and a Taurus model G2S .40-caliber handgun. Mitchem admitted to possessing the seized methamphetamine and an additional 93.1 grams of methamphetamine that officers found when Mitchem told them it was in his parked vehicle. Mitchem further admitted that he intended to distribute the methamphetamine and use some of it himself. Mitchem also told officers that he had distributed quantities of methamphetamine at least once a week for approximately five months. Mitchem is scheduled to be sentenced on March 8, 2024, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a $5 million fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Greenbrier Valley Drug and Violent Crime Task Force. United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-161. ###


title: Former Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby Convicted on Two Counts of Perjury

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Greenbelt , Maryland – A federal jury today convicted Marilyn J. Mosby, age 42, of Baltimore, Maryland, on federal charges of perjury, relating to the withdrawal of funds from the City of Baltimore’s Deferred Compensation Plan claiming that she suffered adverse financial consequences during the COVID-19 pandemic when she was Baltimore City State’s Attorney. The conviction was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office. U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron said, “We respect the jury’s verdict and remain steadfastly committed to our mission to uphold the rule of law, keep our country safe, protect the civil rights of all Americans, and safeguard public property.” According to the evidence presented at trial, on May 26, 2020 and December 29, 2020, Mosby submitted “457(b) Coronavirus-Related Distribution Requests” for one-time withdrawals of $40,000 and $50,000, respectively, from City of Baltimore’s Deferred Compensation Plan. Trial evidence proved that Mosby falsely certified that she met at least one of the qualifications for a distribution as defined under the CARES Act, specifically, that she experienced adverse financial consequences from the Coronavirus as a result of being quarantined, furloughed, or laid off; having reduced work hours; being unable to work due to lack of childcare; or the closing or reduction of hours of a business she owned or operated. In signing the forms, Mosby “affirm[ed] under penalties for perjury the statements and acknowledgments made in this request.” As proven at trial, Mosby did not experience any such financial hardships and in fact, Mosby received her full gross salary of $247,955.58 from January 1, 2020 through December 29, 2020, in bi-weekly gross pay direct deposits of $9,183.54. Mosby faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each of the two counts of perjury. U.S. District Judge Lydia K. Griggsby has not yet scheduled sentencing. In a separate pending federal case, Mosby also faces two counts of making false mortgage applications, relating to the purchases of two vacation homes in Florida. Those charges remain pending and a trial date has not been set. If convicted of those counts, the defendant faces a maximum of 30 years in federal prison for each of two remaining counts. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and IRS-CI for their work in the investigation and thanked the Baltimore City Office of the Inspector General for its assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean R. Delaney and Aaron S.J. Zelinsky, who are prosecuting the federal case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: North Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Counterfeit Currency Conspiracy

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. –Xavier Sanders, 24, of Charlotte, North Carolina, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States. Sanders admitted to his role in a conspiracy to create and pass counterfeit United States currency in the Southern District of West Virginia. According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 12, 2022, Sanders traveled with Crystal Wilks, Jamarcus Harris, and a third co-conspirator from North Carolina to West Virginia. Sanders admitted that they passed counterfeit $100 bills at businesses in Beckley, Fayetteville and Summersville upon their arrival. Sanders is scheduled to be sentenced on March 22, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Sanders also owes at least $400 in restitution. Wilks, 23, and Harris, 32, both of Lenoir, North Carolina, each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States on October 13, 2023, and await sentencing. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Secret Service. United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander A. Redmon, Andrew D. Isabell and Ryan Blackwell are prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-54. ###


title: Local woman admits to threatening federal judge

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 50-year-old Houston resident has pleaded guilty to interstate communications with a threat to kidnap or injure, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. On Sept. 1, 2022, Tiffani Shea Gish aka Evelyn Salt left three threatening voicemails on the chamber’s telephone of a U.S. district judge from Florida. In the messages, Gish claimed to be a member of several military combat units, trained and familiar with weapons of war. In the first message, she said the victim was marked for assignation and would get a bullet in the head. Gish then reiterated the same threat in two subsequent messages and used expletives when adding that she had ordered snipers and a bomb to the victim’s house and would throw a bullet to the victim’s head. “As prosecutors, our mission is to always protect the rule of law, and that necessarily means protecting the judges who interpret and apply the law,” said Hamdani. “Tiffani Gish’s threats to assassinate a federal judge have no place in a republic whose strength comes from the rule of law. As a result, my office and its public servants have no tolerance for those like Gish who threaten judges and in turn seek to undermine our system of government.” U.S. District Judge David Hittner accepted the plea and set sentencing for Feb. 9, 2024. At that time, Gish faces up to five years imprisonment and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. She has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing. The FBI and U.S. Marshals Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Schammel prosecuted the case.


title: Statement of U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger on Veterans Day

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: On Veterans Day, the nation joins together to honor veterans of the United States Armed Forces. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will use every tool at its disposal to protect the rights of the men and women who have made tremendous sacrifices to defend our freedoms. Earlier this year, we issued findings that the residents of the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Homes at Menlo Park and Paramus faced unreasonable harm and risk, in violation of the U.S. Constitution, and we are now working to ensure that the veterans and their families receive the care that they so richly deserve. We also protected the rights of active duty servicemembers when we sued a housing provider who we alleged charged servicemembers – who were simply following orders to relocate for a permanent change of station – exorbitant lease termination fees. We were pleased that the lawsuit resulted in an agreement from the defendant to end that illegal practice and compensate the impacted servicemembers. My office remains committed to protecting servicemembers and veterans across the state, and we remain very engaged in the Justice Department’s Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative.


title: Sentence imposed for enticing child via social media

body_text: BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 37-year-old resident of Los Fresnos has been sentenced for enticement of a child, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Guadalupe “Pete” Azocar pleaded guilty March 21. U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. has now ordered him to serve 216 months in federal prison. Azocar was further ordered to pay a $24,000 fine and must serve 10 years on supervised release following the completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. In February 2020, Azocar struck up an online friendship with an 11-year-old minor girl through HOLA, an online video chat and live streaming application. The conversations migrated to WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger where Azocar was able to send messages and videos and live video chat with the minor victim for several months. Even though Azocar was aware the minor was then 12 years old, he repeatedly sent pornographic videos, including videos of child pornography to the victim and persuaded her to send sexually explicit images and videos of herself. The messages between Azocar and the victim showed that Azocar had plans to meet the minor child in person. Azocar was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ana C. Cano is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page . For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.


title: Forfeiture Complaint Seeks to Return to New Haven More Than $1.1 Million Seized from Email Scammers

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI have seized and filed a civil asset forfeiture complaint against $1,187.677.94 that was traceable to a business email compromise attack on the City of New Haven’s Board of Education earlier this year. As alleged in the complaint, which was filed today in U.S. District Court, criminal actors were able to compromise an email account associated with a member of management team of the City of New Haven’s Board of Education. In June 2023, these actors created a fake email account that mimicked the email of a bus company that held a contract with the Board of Education for bussing. The criminal actors used the compromised email address to send test emails between the compromised email address and the newly created fake bus company email address. Using the fake bus company email address, the criminal actors then were able to change the bus company’s payment information from the real bus company to an account held by the criminal actors. New Haven sent approximately $5.9 million dollars to the account. The FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office were able to trace and seize a portion of the stolen money. With the filing of a civil asset forfeiture complaint, the U.S. is seeking to forfeit and return the money to the City of New Haven. Approximately $3.6 million of the stolen money was previously recovered. “While we will continue to pursue criminal prosecution of the individuals involved in this scam, recovering the victim’s money is a priority,” said U.S. Attorney Avery. ”Civil asset forfeiture allows the U.S. Attorney’s Office to recover money for victims of fraud, such as business email compromises, romances scams, confidence scams, and other crimes. As these fraud schemes often involve conversion of U.S. currency to digital assets, this process typically involves significant law enforcement resources and specialized training. In recent years, through the civil asset forfeiture process, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut has recovered millions of dollars for Connecticut victims, most of whom do not have the means nor the expertise to trace the money.” “Despite the advanced level of these particular cyber schemes, our highly trained law enforcement officers and agents haven been able to effectively uncover and stop the ongoing financial losses, and recover funds for the City of New Haven,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Fuller. “Our ongoing focus will continue to be protecting those that remain vulnerable to cyber intrusion and fraud.” To avoid becoming the victim of a BEC scheme, verify email addresses are accurate when checking mail on a cellphone or other mobile device before you open any attachments or follow any instructions and never make any payment changes without verifying with the intended recipient by phone or in person. If you think you have been a victim of a BEC scheme, immediately contact your bank to request a recall or reversal as well as a Hold Harmless Letter or Letter of Indemnity, and file a detailed complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov . The Internet Crime Complaint Center, is run by the FBI and serves as the country’s hub for reporting cybercrime. Visit www.ic3.gov for updated information regarding BEC trends as well as other cyber fraud schemes. This matter is being investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Marshals Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Nelson.


title: Methamphetamine Trafficker Sentenced to Federal Prison

body_text: BOISE – Brendan Manzon, 50, of Boise, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye to 78 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release for distribution of methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. According to court records, in October 2021, in Boise, Manzon sold a quarter-pound of methamphetamine to another person in exchange for $1,000. Manzon has an extensive criminal history, including convictions for aggravated battery, trafficking in methamphetamine, and possession of a controlled substance. Manzon pleaded guilty to the charge on September 15, 2022. U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Idaho State Police, the Boise Police Department, and the Nampa Police Department, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Morse, who was the HIDTA SAUSA at the time of charging, prosecuted the case. This case was prosecuted by the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office with funds provided by the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program. HIDTA is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives, including the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney position. ###


title: Madison Man Sentenced to 30 Months for Possessing Heroin for Distribution & Illegally Possessing a Firearm

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Reggie Golden, 39, Madison, Wisconsin was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 30 months for possessing heroin with intent to distribute and illegally possessing a firearm. Golden pleaded guilty to these charges on July 18, 2023. On March 1, 2023, law enforcement officers from the Madison Police Department and the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force located Golden, who was wanted on state drug charges, inside of a mall in Madison. After arresting Golden, officers asked him whether he had any firearms. Golden admitted that he had a gun inside of a bag that he wore across his torso. Officers removed the bag, searched it, and found a loaded 9 mm pistol, a digital scale, two cell phones, and 19 individual packages that contained a total of 21 grams of a substance that field-tested positive for fentanyl and heroin. During a post-arrest interview, Golden waived his Miranda rights and admitted that he possessed the heroin and firearm. He claimed he purchased the pistol from an unknown person at a gas station two months before his arrest. Golden also admitted to being a 26-year member of the Black Disciples street gang. In sentencing Golden, Judge Peterson noted that Golden has a history of illegally possessing firearms. Judge Peterson also highlighted the danger that guns pose to the community when used by drug traffickers. United States Attorney O’Shea stated, “Armed drug dealers are dangerous in two ways. First, opiate drugs like fentanyl and heroin are incredibly addictive and dangerous. A single dose containing fentanyl can kill. Second, the risk of community danger increases exponentially when drug dealers, like Golden, carry high powered weapons. My office is dedicated to working with communities and our law enforcement partners to hold armed drug dealers accountable.” The charges against Golden were the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma prosecuted this case.


title: Alleged Promoter of an Illegal Tax Shelter Charged with Tax Evasion and Obstructing the IRS

component: Tax Division

body_text: A federal grand jury in Sherman, Texas, returned an indictment today charging a Texas man with tax evasion and corruptly obstructing the IRS for attempting to evade his personal federal income taxes by, among other things, using an abusive-trust tax shelter. In September, a federal grand jury in Denver charged him with conspiring with others to defraud the United States by promoting nationwide the same abusive-trust tax shelter. According to the indictment, from 2001 to 2014, Larry Conner, of Frisco, Texas, filed his individual income tax returns but did not pay the income taxes reported due on those returns. Conner allegedly attempted to prevent the IRS from collecting the unpaid taxes by creating sham trusts to hide over $5 million in income he earned from 2016 through 2021 and other assets from the IRS. Conner allegedly signed trust instruments purporting to create five trusts and opened bank accounts in the name of each trust, which he used to pay for personal living expenses. The indictment alleges that Conner assigned virtually all his income to the sham trusts and filed false individual income tax returns that did not report the income he assigned to those sham trusts. The indictment further alleges that in 2018, Conner submitted a false form to the IRS as part of an offer to settle a portion of his tax debt. In the form, Conner allegedly understated his assets, omitted multiple bank accounts and falsely represented to the IRS that he did not run a business. If convicted, Conner faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count of tax evasion and three years in prison for corruptly obstructing the IRS. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The pending Denver federal indictment charges Conner with conspiring to defraud the United States by promoting nationwide the same abusive-trust tax shelter that he allegedly used to evade his personal taxes as charged in today’s indictment. In that matter, Conner is alleged to have promoted and sold the abusive-trust tax shelter for approximately $25,000 to $50,000 per client, assuring them that they would continue to benefit from and control the income assigned to the sham trusts. In total, Conner’s promotion and sale of the tax shelter allegedly resulted in tens of millions of dollars in unpaid federal income taxes. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement. IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Amanda R. Scott and Lauren K. Pope and Senior Litigation Counsel Corey J. Smith of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Hartford Man Caught with Drugs and Ghost Gun in Bristol Sentenced to 30 Months in Federal Prison

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TRAEVAUGHNN MORRISON, 27, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 30 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for distributing fentanyl and crack while armed with a ghost gun. According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 5, 2022, members of the DEA’s Hartford Task Force made a controlled purchase of fentanyl and crack cocaine from Morrison in Bristol. After the drug sale, investigators followed Morrison as he drove his car and then parked in a condominium parking lot, where Morrison was taken into custody. At the time of Morrison’s arrest, investigators found in his car additional quantities of fentanyl and crack, and a Polymer80 handgun (“ghost gun”) with an extended magazine loaded with 21 rounds of ammunition. Subsequent analysis of the firearm determined that it had been used in two shooting incidents in 2021 in Waterbury and Hartford, where two individuals were injured. The government has no evidence that Morrison participated in either of the shootings. Morrison’s criminal history includes convictions for felony drug offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce. Morrison has been detained since his arrest. On August 2, 2023, he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, cocaine base (“crack”) and fentanyl. The DEA’s Hartford Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, and Windsor Locks Police Departments. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Pierpont, Jr.


title: Dominican National Charged with Illegally Reentering U.S.

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOSE OZUNA CRUZ, also known as Jose Cruz-Cruz, Jose Chapulin, Jose Ozuna-Montero, and Jose Ozun-Cruz, 48, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint charging him with illegally reentering the United States after being deported. As alleged in the criminal complaint, Ozuna was deported from the U.S. to the Dominican Republic in February 2010, following a felony conviction in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California and 37-month prison sentence for conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Ozuna subsequently illegally reentered the U.S. On November 21, 2022, Ozuna was arrested by Waterbury Police in Waterbury and charged with various state drug distribution and firearm possession offenses. Ozuna, who had been released on bond in his state case, appeared this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert M. Spector in New Haven and was ordered detained. If convicted of the charge of illegal reentry, Ozuna faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. The state charges against him are pending. U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This matter is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Casey.