title: U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown Announces the Availability of  Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant Funds for the Western District of Louisiana

component: USAO - Louisiana, Western

body_text: SHREVEPORT / LAFAYETTE / ALEXANDRIA / LAKE CHARLES/ MONROE, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown and the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Task Force announced the availability of approximately $152,565 in PSN grant funds for the Western District of Louisiana. The Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs (OJP), and Bureau of Justice Assistance is seeking applications for funding of a grant under the PSN Program. At least 30% ($41,192.55) of the grant funds must be designated for grants under the PSN Program to fund new and/or current gang violence reduction strategies in the Western District. The PSN approach is guided by four key 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 of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions. PSN programs are led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in collaboration with local public safety agencies and community organizations. The programs’ emphasis on community engagement, prevention and intervention measures, focused and strategic enforcement, and measurement and accountability has helped achieve overall reductions in violent crime, including gun homicides, in neighborhoods where PSN strategies have been implemented. “The PSN program is key in our attack on gun violence in the Western District of Louisiana,” said U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown. “This grant will help assist officers and others take back our neighborhoods and streets. Times are hard in terms of funding for law enforcement and non-governmental organizations that seek to assist in making our communities safer. Therefore, we are grateful for these funds and encourage those organizations that focus on crime deterrence and prevention to apply.” Past recipients of PSN grants have been the Alexandria, Lake Charles, Monroe, Shreveport and Lafayette Police Departments as well as the Caddo Parish and Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Offices and Lafayette City Marshal’s Office. Funds were granted for various programs to include assisting with implementation of a new computer software program, body cameras for law enforcement officers, training for officers on gang prevention and overtime hours for law enforcement officers to increase patrols in areas that saw an increase in violent crime, including narcotics, gang and gun-related violent crimes. The Shreveport Police Department has been named as the fiscal agent for administering the funds allowed through this PSN grant. A committee comprised of community volunteers from the five major cities in the Western District of Louisiana has been appointed to be responsible for reviewing the applications received from law enforcement and non-governmental agencies who submit their grant proposals. The Shreveport Police Department, on behalf of the DOJ’s OJP, is seeking applications for these grant funds under the PSN Program. At least 30% of the grant funds must be designated for grants under the PSN Program to fund new and/or current gang violence reduction strategies in the Western District. Various types of single of multi-grantee grant proposals are welcome, including those that address the following: Gang and gun violence reduction, deterrence, prevention, community outreach and education; Enforcement, adjudication and supervision programs; Prisoner re-entry programs; or Other innovative related projects. The FY 2023 PSN Grant Announcement can be found by clicking on the "Attachments" link below. To be eligible, grant proposals must be submitted no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, July 26, 2024, to the following e-mail address: USALAW.PSN@usdoj.gov . Interested applicants may also e-mail questions or contact Lisa Alwert at (337) 262-6618 for additional information. An informational meeting will be held via WebEx on Monday, July 1, 2024, at 2 p.m. If you are interested in applying for these grant funds and learning more about the details required to be eligible, please send your e-mail and contact information to: USALAW.PSN@usdoj.gov by Friday, June 28, 2024 by 5 p.m. in order to obtain the link to the WebEx meeting. More information about awards under PSN and other OJP grants can be found on the OJP Grant Awards Page . Attachments: Guidelines for FY 2023 Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant Proposals # # #


title: Former Alabama Sheriff’s Deputy Sentenced for Federal Civil Rights Offense of Excessive Force

component: USAO - Alabama, Middle

body_text: MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA – Former Elmore County, Alabama, Sheriff’s Deputy Blake Hicks, 33, was sentenced today to 29 months in prison and three years of supervised release for depriving an arrestee of his civil rights under color of law. According to documents and statements made in court, Hicks willfully used unreasonable force against an arrestee. Specifically, without legal justification, Hicks punched and kicked the arrestee in or around the head while the arrestee was handcuffed and incapacitated on the ground. The arrestee suffered a broken cheekbone, concussion and lacerations from Hicks’ assault. “This defendant had a duty to respect the rights of people in his custody and to keep them safe,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Instead, he violently assaulted a person under arrest who was not resisting or threatening harm to the defendant or the public. The Justice Department remains firmly committed to holding accountable law enforcement officials who abuse their powers and use excessive force against people in custody.” “We expect law enforcement officers to maintain order and ensure public safety,” said United States Attorney Jonathan S. Ross for the Middle District of Alabama. “These are tremendous responsibilities. Fortunately, the vast majority of officers serve honorably. Hicks fell short of his obligation to protect and serve. The sentence imposed today ensures that he is held responsible for his actions. Failure to hold Hicks accountable would discredit the noble service of other officers and weaken the public’s trust in law enforcement.” The FBI Mobile Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Trial Attorney Laura-Kate Bernstein and Special Litigation Counsel Michael J. Songer of the Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Counts for the Middle District of Alabama are prosecuting the case.


title: Former Panama City Doctor Agrees To $550,000 Consent Judgment To Resolve FCA and CSA Lawsuit

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Dr. Mustafa A. Hammad, M.D., a neurologist and pain management physician who formerly practiced medicine at the NeuroMedical Institute (“NMI”) in Panama City, Florida, entered into a consent judgment and settlement agreement to resolve a pending lawsuit filed by the United States pursuant to the False Claims Act and the Controlled Substances Act. The judgment and settlement were announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. “This lawsuit and resolution demonstrate our resolve to hold physicians accountable for the blatant fraudulent billing of our federal health care programs,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “Together, with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to defend the fiscal integrity of federal healthcare programs. This agreement results in the return of fraud proceeds to the American taxpayers and through the surrender of his DEA registration, ensures the defendant’s fraudulent billing practices have come to an end.” In March 2023, the United States filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida alleging numerous violations under the FCA and CSA. See United States v. Mustafa A. Hammad, M.D. , Case No. 5:23-cv-00063-TKW-MJF. The lawsuit alleged that Hammad established medical centers in Palestine and Israel in approximately 2017 and has resided outside the United States since approximately September 2019. The United States alleged that Hammad conducted and interpreted approximately 582 sleep studies while he was physically located outside the United States and thereafter billed the Medicare and Medicaid programs for such services in violation of the FCA. The United States also alleged that Hammad issued multiple prescriptions on dates he was physically outside the United States in violation of the CSA. Finally, the United States alleged that Hammad also billed the Government for approximately 4,787 additional services allegedly performed at NMI while he was physically outside the United States in violation of the FCA. To resolve the pending litigation, Hammad agreed to the following, among others: (1) a consent judgment in the amount of $550,000; (2) the United States’ sale of Hammad’s real property in Panama City; (3) not contest a forfeiture judgment entered against Hammad in the amount of $506,017.40 in United States v. $42,924.20, et al. , Case. No. 5:22-cv-00065-TKW-MJF; and (4) to not reapply for a DEA registration. “Doctors, like Hammad, who falsify prescriptions and medical records increase the likelihood of prescription misuse and abuse,” said Drug Enforcement Administration Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “This consent judgement demonstrates our resolve to hold those accountable who misuse their DEA Registration.” “Physicians who participate in federal health care programs must follow the law when billing federally funded health care programs such as Medicare and Medicaid,” said Stephen Mahmood, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG is committed to protecting the integrity of these taxpayer-funded programs and the people they serve. Working closely with the United States Attorney’s Office and our other law enforcement partners, we will continue to thoroughly investigate such fraudulent billing schemes.” This civil settlement agreement is not an admission of any liability by Dr. Hammad, nor a concession by the United States that its claims were not well-founded. Assistant United States Attorneys Mary Ann Couch, Marie Moyle, Katherine Kerwin, Kaitlin Weiss, and Andrew Grogan represented the United States in this matter and related forfeiture action, which was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (Diversion Control Program), Bay County Sherriff’s Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and United States Department of Health and Human Services. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Miami-Dade County Woman Arrested For Providing Contraband To A Coleman Prisoner

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of Janai Chanel Stephens (38, Opa Locka) on a two-count indictment charging her with making a materially false statement or representation to a federal agency and providing contraband to a federal prisoner. If convicted, Stephens faces up to five years in federal prison. A federal grand jury indicted Stephens on May 28, 2024. According to the indictment, on March 10, 2024, Stephens made a materially false statement to a Federal Bureau of Prisons Correctional Officer regarding whether she was in possession of tobacco, which is a prohibited item, when she entered the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex. Afterwards, she provided the tobacco to an inmate at that prison facility. An indictment is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a federal criminal offense. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case is being prosecuted as part of a U.S. Department of Justice task force aimed at rooting out contraband and misconduct in the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). The task force was led by the BOP and the DOJ Office of the Inspector General, with support from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.


title: Family Members Sentenced In Methamphetamine Trafficking Investigation In Walton County

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – A federal judge sentenced a husband, wife, and their son after previously having been found guilty by a federal jury for trafficking methamphetamine in Walton County. The sentences were announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. The defendants and their sentences were: Philip Beck, 48, of DeFuniak Springs, Florida, 262 months in prison Florence Beck, 47, of DeFuniak Springs, Florida, 120 months in prison Joshua Martinez, 28, of DeFuniak Springs, Florida, 258 months in prison All will be on supervised release once they are released from custody. “Our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners work tirelessly to keep us safe by removing addictive and deadly controlled substances from our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “We remain committed to support their efforts through the investigation and vigorous prosecution of criminals bringing drugs into North Florida. The imposed sentences illustrate the significant consequences of harming our citizens through illicit drug trafficking activities.” The investigation revealed that on January 16, 2023, the DeFuniak Springs Police Department stopped a Ram truck operated by Philip Beck and discovered approximately 28 grams of methamphetamine. On March 10, 2023, the U.S. Postal Inspection service intercepted two packages mailed from California to addresses in Niceville and Mossy Head, each containing approximately five pounds of methamphetamine. Subsequent investigation revealed that Philip Beck and Joshua Martinez were the intended recipients of the drug parcels and Florence Beck was assisting them. "The partnership between the Postal Service and our VICE/Narcotics Unit was critical in getting deadly drugs off our streets," said Sheriff Adkinson. "We are grateful our federal partners were able to achieve significant sentences in this case, keeping these dealers out of our communities for the next two decades." “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service objectives are to preserve the integrity of the nation’s mail system from criminal misuse, rid the mail of illicit drugs, and to keep our communities throughout Florida, safe,” said Juan A. Vargas, Inspector in Charge of the Miami Division. “The sentencings should be a reminder to criminals that we will aggressively pursue those that aim to misuse the mail system.” This case resulted from a joint investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Walton County Sheriff’s Office, the DeFuniak Springs Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Walter Narramore prosecuted the case. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: 60-Month Sentence for North Carolina Man Who Sent Photo of His Genitalia to FBI Undercover

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: HARRISONBURG, Va. – A North Carolina man, who sent a nude photograph to an employee of the Federal Bureau of Investigation whom he believed to be a nine-year-old girl, was sentenced yesterday to 60 months in federal prison. Willy Alexander Korthals, 30, of Beaufort, North Carolina, waived his right to be indicted and pled guilty earlier this year to a one-count Information charging him with attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. According to court documents, in May 2022, Korthals was in a Kik chat room for “Active Parents,” in a group titled “Loving Family,” when he responded to a public group thread that read, “Anyone want to come to Virginia to have sex with my daughter?” Korthals reached out to the individual who posted the thread and inquired about the age of the “daughter” and was told she was nine years old. Unbeknownst to Korthals, the thread was posted by an undercover FBI employee posing as the girl’s father. In an effort to coax the daughter to send him pictures, Korthals sent a photograph of his erect penis. For over a year, Korthals chatted with the undercover FBI employee and requested “live” photographs of the nine-year-old as well as other sexually explicit photographs and videos. Korthals also attempted to FaceTime with the undercover father and daughter in order to watch the sexual abuse of the child. Additionally, Korthals described specific acts of sexual abuse he wanted the father to perform on his daughter, including oral, vaginal, and anal sex. In preparation for an in-person meeting with the undercover father and his daughter in August 2022, Korthals sent laboratory test results of his sexually transmitted disease status to the undercover father so that Korthals could have unprotected sex with the nine-year-old. Korthals also described in graphic detail the sex acts he wanted to have the child perform. Two days before the planned meeting, Korthals cancelled it. United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melanie Smith prosecuted the case. The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identity and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/ .


title: Palmetto Man Sentenced To 60 Years For Producing Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William Jung has sentenced Christopher Lee Thompson (46, Palmetto) to 60 years in federal prison for production of child sexual abuse material. The court also ordered Thompson to forfeit two cellphones, an external hard drive, a box of DVDs, and a 128GB Micro SD Card, which are traceable to proceeds of the offense. Thompson entered a guilty plea on March 6, 2024. According to court documents, law enforcement investigated Thompson based on allegations made against him for sexual battery of a five-year-old child. After securing and executing a residential search warrant, law enforcement discovered Thompson possessed nearly 20,000 images of child sexual abuse material and produced his own child sexual abuse material with several different victims, all 13 years of age or younger. “While it's heartbreaking to learn of yet another case of innocence lost because of a sexual predator, it's reassuring to learn of the continued dedication of special agents and our law enforcement partners in making sure this predator spends a long time in prison for his despicable crime,” said FBI Tampa Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Rodney Crawford. This case was investigated by Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Abigail K. King. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Court Sentences Two California Men Caught with Approximately Five Kilograms of Fentanyl to 70 Months Imprisonment

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – On June 17, 2024, United States District Court Judge, Jeffrey U. Beaverstock sentenced Zeshan Malik Fayyaz and Lener Daneski Jairon-Solis, each to 70 months imprisonment each for Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl. Documents filed with the Court established that on October 8, 2022 a cooperating source, along with a Mobile County Sheriff's Deputy, acting in an undercover capacity, agreed to meet the two defendants in Mobile County to purchase 2 kilograms of fentanyl for $38,000 per kilogram. When the men arrived at the meet location, Jairon-Solis got out of the vehicle and went into the back seat of the vehicle and opened a suitcase and removed two kilograms of fentanyl in exchange for the cash. Law enforcement had arranged the cash to appear to contain $76,000 by putting $100 bills on the outside and mostly $1 bills on the inside, but in fact it was less than $10,000. During the operation law enforcement observed what appeared to be more drugs in the suitcase. The vehicle was followed from the location and later stopped by law enforcement and officers recovered an additional three kilograms of fentanyl from the vehicle as well as the undercover buy money. The defendants were planning to deliver the additional three kilograms to Pensacola, Florida. United States Attorney Sean P. Costello commended the investigators for their hard work and dedication in removing 5 kilograms of the deadly drug fentanyl from the community. Costello added that 2 milligrams of fentanyl is considered a lethal dose and thus this seizure surely saved many lives given the fentanyl overdose epidemic facing the nation. The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney George F. May.


title: Ocala Man Arrested For Possessing A Firearm As A Convicted Felon

body_text: Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of Lewis Tinson, Jr. (29, Ocala) on an indictment charging him with two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison on each count. A federal grand jury returned the indictment on May 22, 2024. According to the indictment, Tinson is a four-time convicted felon. Each of his prior felony convictions involves firearms. Specifically, he has been convicted of carjacking with a firearm (2012), possession of a firearm by a delinquent (2012), possession of a firearm by a convicted felon (2018), and shooting at, within, or into a vehicle (2018). As a convicted felon, Tinson is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. On August 27, 2021, Tinson was in possession of three firearms and multiple types of ammunition. On September 6, 2021, he was again in possession of another firearm and ammunition. An indictment is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a federal criminal offense. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and the Ocala Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk. 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: Court Sentences Moss Point Woman Caught with Approximately Ten Pounds of Methamphetamine to 87 Months Imprisonment

body_text: MOBILE, AL – On June 17, 2024, United States District Court Judge Jeffrey U. Beaverstock sentenced Christian Ikenya Amir Lewis to 87 months imprisonment for Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute 4.464 kilograms of methamphetamine. Documents filed with the Court established that on January 22, 2020, officers with the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office Drug Task Force stopped a vehicle being driven by Lewis on Interstate 65 in Baldwin County. Pursuant to further investigation a drug dog alerted on the vehicle Lewis was driving. Inside the trunk of the vehicle officers found almost ten pounds of pure methamphetamine in a hidden compartment in a large speaker box. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office Drug Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys George F. May and John P. Hutchins III.


title: California Resident Pleads Guilty To Producing Photo Depicting Him Sexually Abusing A Child

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Henry Obdulio Cordon (38, Antioch, CA) has pleaded guilty to producing a photo of him sexually abusing a child. Cordon faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years, up to 30 years, in federal prison and a potential lifetime term of supervised release. Cordon was arrested in California on May 16, 2019, and has been in custody since that time. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 23, 2024. According to court documents, the investigation began in April 2019 when an internet service provider sent a series of CyberTipline reports to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). These reports related to the discovery of child sexual abuse photos detected within an email account that geolocated to California. Law enforcement officers traced the email account, which contained at least five photos depicting children being sexually abused, to Cordon. On May 9, 2019, the internet service provider submitted additional CyberTipline reports to NCMEC related to other accounts that were linked to and used by Cordon. One of the photos in the email account depicted a young child being sexually abused by an adult male. Metadata associated with the photo indicated that it had been produced on July 11, 2011, using a Blackberry device. Additional search warrants revealed that the email account was used during April and May 2019 at Cordon’s apartment. On May 16, 2019, during the execution of a search warrant at Cordon’s residence, Cordon admitted that he had searched the internet for “nude teen pictures.” When asked if he ever had a Blackberry device, Cordon said he had one about nine years before when he lived in Florida. Investigators asked him about a particular photo depicting the sexual abuse of a young child that that was recovered from his email account. When asked who the child was and how he met her, Cordon eventually admitted that he knew what they were talking about, he knew the child depicted in this photo, and that she was “maybe” under four years of age. Cordon claimed that his sexual abuse of this child only happened one time, and that he remembered emailing this photo to himself to save. He also admitted taking the picture with his Blackberry. Further investigation confirmed that Cordon had taken the photo and sent it to his email account. The photo was also recovered from the device he possessed in California on May 16, 2019. Law enforcement authorities in Florida confirmed the identity and age of the child, as well as the location in Florida where Cordon had taken the photo. This case was investigated by the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force of Contra Costa County (California), the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office, the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Lake County Woman Pleads Guilty To COVID Fraud

body_text: Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Nicole Harding (38, Clermont) has pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. Harding faces up to 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to court records, between March 28 and April 14, 2021, Harding devised a scheme to defraud the Small Business Association by submitting a false Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loan application. PPP loans were one of the sources of economic relief provided for by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. Harding provided false representations in her PPP application to secure the loan. The loan proceeds ($19,965) were later electronically transferred into her bank account. Harding then used the money for personal expenses, including a tattoo. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus . This case was investigated by the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.


title: Last of Five Defendants with Ties to White Supremacy and Who Were Charged with Targeting Idaho Energy Facilities Enters Guilty Plea

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: BOISE – Yesterday, in Wilmington, North Carolina, a Boise man with white supremacist ties pleaded guilty to a federal firearms charge stemming from his participation in a group that had discussed targeting the power grid in Idaho and had conducted live-fire training near Boise. Jordan Duncan, 29, of Boise, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the manufacturing of a firearm as charged in a superseding criminal information filed in the Eastern District of North Carolina. This crime carries a maximum punishment of 10 years in federal prison. Duncan is a former Marine assigned previously to Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, North Carolina. According to court documents, Duncan, with co-defendants Paul James Kryscuk, 38, Liam Collins, 25, Justin Wade Hermanson, 25, and Joseph Maurino, 25, researched, discussed, and reviewed at length a previous attack on the power grid by an unknown group. The group depicted in the attack used assault-style rifles in an attempt to explode a power substation. Between 2017 and 2020, Kryscuk manufactured firearms while Collins stole military gear, including magazines for assault-style rifles, and had them delivered to the other defendants. During that time, Duncan gathered a library of information, some military-owned, regarding firearms, explosives, and nerve toxins and shared that information with Kryscuk and Collins. In October 2020, a handwritten list of approximately one dozen intersections and places in Idaho and surrounding states was discovered in Kryscuk’s possession, including intersections and/or places containing a transformer, substation, or other component of the power grid for the northwest United States. Previously filed charges allege that Collins and Kryscuk were members of and made multiple posts on the “Iron March” forum, a gathering point for young neo-Nazis to organize and recruit for extremist organizations, until the forum was closed in late 2017. Collins and Kryscuk met through the forum and expanded their group using an encrypted messaging application as an alternate means of communication outside of the forum. Collins and Kryscuk recruited additional members, including Duncan, Hermanson, and Maurino, and conducted training, including a live-fire training in the desert near Boise. From video footage recorded by the members during the training, Kryscuk, Duncan, and others produced a montage video of their training. In the video, the participants are seen firing short barrel rifles and other assault-type rifles, and the end of the propaganda video shows the four participants outfitted in AtomWaffen masks giving the “Heil Hitler” sign, beneath the image of a black sun, a Nazi symbol. The last frame bears the phrase, “Come home white man.” Prior to their arrests, Collins and Duncan had recently relocated to Boise from North Carolina and Texas, respectively, to be near Kryscuk. Kryscuk, Collins, Maurino, and Hermanson each earlier entered pleas of guilty to various crimes: on February 15, 2022, Kryscuk entered a plea of guilty to conspiracy to destroy an energy facility, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison; on October 24, 2023, Collins pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the interstate transportation of unregistered firearms, which carries a maximum of 10 years in federal prison; and on March 8, 2023 and April 11, 2023, respectively, Hermanson and Maurino pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture firearms and ship interstate, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. All five defendants now await sentencing before Chief United States District Judge Richard E. Myers II. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the FBI field offices in Salt Lake City and Charlotte with assistance from field offices in Boston, New York, and Newark, the Boise Police Department, the United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the Eastern District of North Carolina are prosecuting the case for the government with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Idaho, District of New Jersey, Eastern District of New York, the District of Rhode Island, and attorneys from the Justice Department’s National Security Division. ###


title: Browning man sentenced to over four years in prison for meth trafficking on Blackfeet Indian Reservation

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A Browning man who admitted to trafficking methamphetamine on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation was sentenced on Monday to four years and eight months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today. The defendant, Robbie Wayne Racine, 31, pleaded guilty in January to possession with intent to distribute meth. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The government alleged in court documents that in the spring of 2023, Racine was stopped in multiple vehicles containing meth and other evidence of his distribution. In April 2023, Racine was stopped for a traffic violation along with his co-defendant. Both occupants were arrested. More than 15 grams of meth was seized from the co-defendant’s person while being booked into jail. A search of the vehicle also yielded evidence of distribution, including baggies and a digital scale. A month later, Racine was driving a different vehicle when he was again stopped by Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services for a traffic violation and was arrested. Racine had a scale in his pocket. Law enforcement searched the vehicle and seized more than 170 grams of meth in a safe concealed as a book. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration and Glacier County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. XXX


title: U.S. Attorney and HUD Inspector General Host Safe Housing Summit in D.C.

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: WASHINGTON – Members of the Anacostia Coordinating Council, today, heard presentations and had discussions with U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis at a panel focused on promoting the health, safety, and civil liberty of tenants living in HUD-assisted housing. The program focused on eliminating environmental hazards and combatting sexual misconduct in HUD-assisted housing. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and Office of Environmental Justice also presented on related topics, including the development of a Department-wide environmental justice strategic plan. The panel, which took place at the monthly meeting of the Anacostia Coordinating Council at Martha’s Table in the Seventh Metropolitan Police Department District, was part of the HUD Inspector General’s initiatives promoting safe housing strategies related to environmental justice, and how to recognize and report sexual misconduct in housing. Attendees included members and leadership of communities east of the Anacostia River who might be impacted by environmental injustices, such as lead paint in their homes, or become victims of sexual harassment in housing by their landlords, property managers, maintenance staff, or other housing personnel in positions of authority. Members of the public were encouraged to share their experiences, concerns, and expertise to build future partnerships and provide aid and assistance to beneficiaries when reporting matters related health, safety, or security in housing. “No one should be subjected to unsafe conditions or harassment in order to have a roof over their head,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “The residents of D.C. have a right to feel safe in their homes, to have their rights respected by their landlords, and to not have to worry that they and their families will be harmed by environmental hazards. The affirmative civil rights and environmental justice team in this Office is working, daily, to prevent, correct, and prosecute those cases that violate HUD’s housing assistance program guidelines. Today’s safe housing panel, we hope, will arm residents with the information they need to ensure their rights are protected. You have a right to feel safe in your home.” “I am grateful for the opportunity afforded us by the Anacostia Coordinating Council to directly engage community members about HUD OIG’s initiatives in pursuit of environmental justice violations and combatting sexual misconduct in housing,” said Inspector General Oliver Davis. “We remain committed to working closely with our partners at the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to raise awareness about violations of federal law in these areas and pursue bad actors who victimize vulnerable people receiving HUD assistance.” If you have or someone you know has information about environmental hazards and unsafe unit conditions in HUD-assisted housing or you have or someone you know has been a victim of sexual harassment, sexual assault, or sexual exploitation—even if the events occurred years ago—report it to the HUD Office of Inspector General Hotline at 1-800-347-3735 or visit the website at www.hudoig.gov/hotline . You may also file a complaint with HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at https://www.hud.gov/fairhousing/fileacomplaint . You may also contact the U.S. Department of Justice at 1-844-380-6178 or visit www.civilrights.justice.gov . Individuals who believe they may have been victims of environmental injustices or housing discrimination may also contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (202) 252-2500, USADC.CivilRights@usdoj.gov or https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/affirmative-civil-rights-and-environmental-justice . For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc and https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/programs/community-prosecution/community-engagements .


title: New York And Florida Women Arrested For Defrauding Over A Dozen Victims Of More Than $7 Million In Connection With Romance Scams

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James Smith, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of a Complaint charging ROSANNA LISA STANLEY and GINA GUY for their roles in a series of romance schemes and for laundering the proceeds of those schemes. STANLEY was arrested in North Miami Beach, Florida, and will be presented in federal court in the Southern District of Florida later today. GUY was arrested in New York, New York, and will be presented in Manhattan federal court later today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robyn F. Tarnofsky. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Rosanna Lisa Stanley and Gina Guy callously defrauded elderly victims who were simply looking for companionship. They allegedly used the millions of dollars in fraud proceeds to lead lives of luxury at their victims’ expense. As today’s arrests demonstrate, perpetrators of romance scams will be held to account for their crimes.” FBI Assistant District in Charge James Smith said: “Gina Guy and Rosanna Lisa Stanley allegedly took advantage of innocent individuals seeking companionship and exploited them for their own benefit. Collecting millions of dollars from their victims, the perpetrators allegedly gained and betrayed the trust of primarily elderly individuals to fund their luxury purchases. The FBI is committed to ensuring those who capitalize on personal connections for selfish reasons are brought to justice and prevented from repeating their crimes.” According to the allegations contained in the Complaint: [1] STANLEY, from about 2009 to about 2024, and GUY, from about 2020 to about 2024, defrauded at least 16 victims (the “Victims”) of more than $7 million. As part of that scheme, STANLEY and GUY lured the Victims, who were nearly all elderly individuals, into purported romantic or close personal relationships through in-person meetings, phone calls, text messages, and an online dating platform. After earning the Victims’ trust, STANLEY and GUY convinced the Victims to transfer money to STANLEY and GUY under false pretenses, including by, among other things, falsely representing that STANLEY and GUY needed money for fake businesses and organ transplants. Once STANLEY and GUY received the Victims’ money, they moved the money through shell company bank accounts to avoid detection by law enforcement. Ultimately, STANLEY and GUY used the money for their personal benefit, including, for example, for luxury vehicles, a boat, high-end jewelry, and other luxury products. * * * STANLEY, 48, of North Miami Beach, Florida, and GUY, 37, of New York, New York, are each charged with one count of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of money laundering, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI. The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Diarra M. Guthrie and Lauren Phillips are in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Christopher Reese Charged With Defrauding Criminal Defendants Through His Unauthorized Practice Of Law

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that a grand jury has returned an Indictment charging CHRISTOPHER REESE, a/k/a “Christopher Eugene Thomas,” with federal crimes related to his tricking federal criminal defendants and their family members into paying REESE, who is not a lawyer, to perform unlicensed legal services for them in federal courts. REESE is already in federal custody in connection with a separate case. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Valerie E. Caproni. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged in a criminal indictment, Christopher Reese sought to profit off the hopes and anxieties of criminal defendants and their families while abusing federal courts for his own financial gain. Reese allegedly tricked people into paying him for legal services he wasn’t authorized to provide, and after promising he could get inmates out of prison time and time again, the only thing Reese achieved was taking money for himself. It’s time for Reese’s alleged fraud on defendants, their families, and the courts to end.” According to the Indictment: [1] For years, REESE has run a scam targeting federal inmates and their family members. To carry out his fraud scheme, REESE promised favorable results in criminal cases that he could not actually obtain, rendering legal services he was not authorized to provide in exchange for hefty fees. REESE styles himself as a “legal assistant” or “paralegal” but works without the supervision of a licensed lawyer and offers services that only a lawyer is authorized to provide, including drafting and submitting legal filings in federal courts. REESE brings in business by promising beneficial outcomes to prisoners and their family members that he cannot deliver while knowing — but failing to disclose — the unauthorized nature of his unlicensed legal practice. REESE would induce victims — criminal defendants and their family members — to pay him thousands of dollars per legal filing. He would do this, for example, by promising that defendants would be “immediately released” based on motions REESE could file in exchange for fees in the thousands of dollars. Sometimes REESE would also offer a “money back guarantee” on his services, but when his motions inevitably failed, REESE would refuse to refund his fees. When his fraud succeeded, and inmates and their family members paid REESE to draft and file legal motions and briefs in federal cases, REESE engaged in the unauthorized practice of law by making a business of drafting and filing legal motions and briefs in federal cases, including cases heard by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit at 40 Foley Square in Manhattan, a federal enclave where New York State’s prohibition on the unauthorized practice of law applies via the Assimilative Crimes Act. REESE has earned many thousands of dollars from this scheme, and in connection with the proceeds he earned from his legal-services scheme, REESE committed additional crimes. First, REESE was on supervised release in connection with a separate federal criminal case in this District during most of the scheme. In connection with his supervision, and in order to avoid paying criminal restitution that he owed, REESE made false statements to the U.S. Probation Office regarding his finances. Second, REESE laundered the proceeds of his scheme by using a co-conspirator who assisted him with the scheme to effectively act as a bank for him and engaging in financial transactions designed to conceal the source and movement of the fees REESE collected from his victims. * * * REESE, 56, of East Meadow, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of unauthorized practice of law in a federal enclave, which carries a maximum sentence of four years in prison; one count of making false statements to the U.S. Probation Office, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Special Agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. The case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Josiah Pertz and Derek Wikstrom are in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the Indictment and the descriptions of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Announces New Northeast Ohio Crime Gun Intelligence Center in Cleveland

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Alongside state and local law enforcement partners in Cleveland, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, Director Steven Dettelbach of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio today announced the opening of a new Northeast Ohio Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC) in Cleveland. “The Northeast Ohio Crime Gun Intelligence Center will allow us to leverage our partnerships and technological innovation to solve gun crimes and to save lives,” said Attorney General Garland. “When it comes to investigating gun crimes, every day matters. Every day, another lead can run dry. Every day, a repeat shooter may shatter another family and another community. With this CGIC, it does not matter if a crime is committed in a city, a suburb, or a rural area. The law enforcement officers who investigate will have cutting-edge technology at their fingertips and a lineup of experts ready to assist.” “Following on the success of last year’s intelligence-driven gun crime initiative, this Crime Gun Intelligence Center puts in the same room analysts, agents, cops, deputies, and both federal and state prosecutors,” said ATF Director Dettelbach. “They work together on the same cases using real time, state-of-the-art intelligence. Every morning, they review key evidence from the previous night’s shootings to identify the shooters. CGICs like this make homicide cases. CGICs like this stop the next shooting. And CGICs like this help stop the crime guns that are getting to the shooters. I want to commend the ATF Cleveland leadership and the many law enforcement agencies working together under one roof with a focus on real-time ballistics testing and crime gun tracing. I also want to thank the leadership here for coming together to protect Ohioans. Mayor Bibb, Attorney General Yost, County Executive Ronayne, Mayor Malik, and Governor DeWine have all supported a law enforcement presence in this CGIC. Without all of them, this CGIC does not happen. This level of partnership is truly exceptional. Chalk one up for the good guys in Ohio.” CGICs are centralized law enforcement hubs that focus exclusively on investigating and preventing gun violence in local communities. They use cutting-edge technologies, including ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) and eTrace systems, to rapidly develop and pursue investigative leads in order to drive case clearance rates up — which in turn can help drive violent crime rates down. They bring together, under one roof, the expertise of firearm evidence examiners, intelligence analysts, and investigators to rapidly collect, analyze, and share information about guns used in violent crimes. In total, ATF operates more than 60 CGICs nationwide. “Prosecuting and preventing violent crime throughout our district is one core mission of the United States Attorney’s Office. And investigative data shows that the same guns are often used to commit multiple, different instances of violent crimes, without regard to city or county lines,” said U.S. Attorney Lutzko. “That is why we most effectively combat violent crime — and the illegal firearms trafficking that supports it — through strong regional partnerships, collaboration, and technology. The incredible capabilities of the Crime Gun Intelligence Center — and the federal, state, and local partnerships that make it possible — allow us to connect the dots between crimes so we can prosecute, convict, and lock up the bad actors who commit violent crimes and remove “crime guns” from the streets faster, so neither continue to endanger innocent people in neighborhoods throughout Northern Ohio.” “ATF has long worked with our partners in the Cleveland area to reduce violent crime, including the use of NIBIN and other intelligence tools,” stated Daryl McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division. “This CGIC represents both a broadening and deepening of that cooperation and commitment. We are broadening this intelligence approach to a regional level, recognizing that those perpetrating violence don’t respect civic boundaries. In addition, we are all committing to the timely and comprehensive entry of information, and the analysis and use of these intelligence tools, to ensure that every CGIC participating agency has the information that may provide investigative leads as quickly as possible. I firmly believe that this effort will help us identify, investigate, and prosecute those individuals who are harming our communities.” The Northeast Ohio CGIC is the first CGIC located within an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Strike Force, which not only supports the use of Crime Gun Intelligence (GCI) but also applies proactive investigative work and incorporates the use of OCDETF funds and resources. The CGIC was designed to execute a two-pronged approach: an intelligence component, led by ATF, and an investigative component, led by Ohio High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program (HIDTA). Over 30 agencies across federal, state, and local law enforcement are partners in this new CGIC, focusing on real-time comprehensive ballistics testing and firearms tracing, two of ATF’s fundamental pillars of Crime Gun Intelligence. Federal and state prosecutors are included as participants to ensure the charging process is timely and effective. The Northeast Ohio CGIC partners include ATF, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio, Cleveland Division of Police, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office, Cuyahoga County Sherrif’s Office, Ohio HIDTA, Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center, Ohio Breau of Criminal Investigation, Northeast Ohio Regional Fusion Center, Garfield Heights Police Department, Lakewood Police Department, Lorain Police Department, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Ohio Investigative Unit, and the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction/Ohio Adult Parole Authority. Six additional agencies support the CGIC but are located with ATF’s Akron and/or Canton Task Forces: Akron Police Department, Barberton Police Department, Canton Police Department, Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Summit County Sheriff’s Office, and the University of Akron Police Department. Nine additional agencies have designated a liaison to support the CGIC: Elyria Police Department, Euclid Police Department, Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Lorain County Sheriff’s Office, Maple Heights Police Department, Medina City Police Department, Medina County Sheriff’s Office, Solon Police Department, and Willoughby Police Department. Additionally, four federal agencies support the CGIC through their participation at the OCEDTF Strike Force: Homeland Security Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, and the U.S. Marshal’s Service.


title: Newburgh Man Sentenced To Life In Prison For Coercion And Enticement Of A Minor, Aggravated Sexual Assault, And Traveling With Intent To Engage In Sexual Activity With A Minor

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that VERNON E. COPELAND III was sentenced to life in prison by U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Karas for his years-long aggravated sexual assault, enticement, and transportation of a minor. COPELAND was convicted of coercion and enticement of a minor, aggravated sexual abuse, and transportation of a minor with intent to engage in sexual activity following a week-long jury trial in July 2023. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “For years, Vernon E. Copeland III preyed on some of the most defenseless members of our community. Four of his victims, one of whom was just nine years old when Copeland began abusing her, faced him at trial and courageously told their harrowing stories. This lengthy prison sentence finally holds Copeland accountable for his horrific crimes and the devastating harm and trauma he caused to minor victims and their families.” According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial: In a motel on Thanksgiving Day in 2004, COPELAND raped two minors, one of whom was 17 at the time and another of whom was 15 at the time. In 2010, COPELAND raped another minor who was 16 at the time in an apartment in Newburgh, New York. From 2016 to 2020, COPELAND repeatedly raped and sexually abused a girl when she was between the ages of 9 and 13 years old. In 2020, COPELAND fled the State of New York when he suspected that law enforcement might be closing in on him. In 2021, he was arrested in Florida and brought back to the Southern District of New York to be prosecuted. * * * In addition to the prison term, COPELAND, 39, of Newburgh, New York, was sentenced to lifetime supervised release. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force, the Town of Newburgh Police Department, and the Tampa Police Department in Tampa, Florida, in connection with this investigation. The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Danielle Sassoon and Timothy Ly, with assistance from former U.S. Attorney Lindsey Keenan, are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Former Nonprofit Finance Director Pleads Guilty to Theft of Government Funds

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. —Ashley Clark Ingram, 34, of Columbia, has pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government funds for misappropriating funds from Habitat for Humanity of Central South Carolina. Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that while employed as the director of finance and operations for Habitat for Humanity, Ingram applied for an employee retention tax credit for retaining employees during the COVID-19 pandemic from the IRS on behalf of Habitat for Humanity, but without the knowledge of the nonprofit. Ingram then received checks totaling $388,550.75 from the United States Treasury and deposited the funds into a Habitat for Humanity account that she controlled. Ingram transferred the money from the Habitat for Humanity account into multiple personal bank accounts and appropriated it to her own use. In total, Ingram misappropriated approximately $514,672.37 from Habitat for Humanity and the United States Government. Ingram faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. She also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and a total of three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Ingram at a future date after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office. This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Matthews is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Mobile Man Sentenced to 77 Months in Prison  for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

body_text: MOBILE, AL – A Mobile man was sentenced to 77 months in prison for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. According to court documents, Randy Fisher Crandle, 26, was arrested by Mobile police on November 22, 2022 following a traffic stop where he was found to be in possession of a firearm. Crandle has multiple prior felony convictions, including convictions for robbery, arson, and assault. As a convicted felon, Crandle is prohibited from possessing a firearm. Crandle was indicted for being a felon in possession of a firearm and pled guilty to the charge. United States District Court Judge Kristi K. DuBose sentenced Crandle to 77 months in prison followed by a 3-year term of supervised release for illegally possessing the firearm. U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Mobile Police Department investigated the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica S. Terrill and Justin D. Kopf prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.


title: Kentucky Man Pleads Guilty and Is Sentenced for Federal Hate Crime Targeting Children Online

body_text: WASHINGTON – A Kentucky man pleaded guilty and was sentenced last week to one year and one day in prison and one year of supervised release in the District of Eastern Louisiana for committing a federal hate crime. According to court documents, Brian Adams, 24, of Paintsville, Kentucky, transmitted a threat to a fifth-grade class at the Laureate Academy Charter School on or about Oct. 14, 2020. At the time, the school was conducting class virtually over Zoom due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, Adams used racial epithets against the students and teachers and threatened to “hang them by a tree.” Adams pleaded guilty to one count of transmitting threatening communications. The court found that Adams’ actions were motivated by hate. “This prosecution should make clear that perpetrators of hate crimes hiding behind computer screens, hacking into teleconferences and disrupting virtual meetings will be held accountable. The defendant used racial epithets and threats against innocent children who were simply trying to get an education,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “No child should ever have to endure racially motivated hatred like this in a classroom, a school or anywhere else. The Justice Department is committed to protecting children from such hate-filled assaults and to safeguarding their right to a safe and secure education.” “Citizens should not fear threats based on their race at any time and especially for students while pursuing their education,” said U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans for the Eastern District of Louisiana. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working closely with federal, state and local law enforcement to ensure hate crimes are investigated, prosecuted and to ultimately hold perpetrators responsible for their actions.” “Hate has no place in our country, especially in a fifth-grade classroom,” said Special Agent in Charge Lyonel Myrthil of the FBI New Orleans Field Office. “Protecting the rights of all Americans under the Constitution is the heart of the FBI's mission.” The FBI New Orleans Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey N. Knight for the Eastern District of Louisiana prosecuted the case, with assistance from Trial Attorney Mary Hahn of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.


title: Two Men Sentenced for Orchestrating Multimillion-Dollar Cryptocurrency Securities Fraud and Wire Fraud Schemes

component: Criminal Division

body_text: Two men were sentenced for manipulating the price of a security and scheming to defraud investors in connection with the purchase of Hydrogen Technology’s cryptocurrency, HYDRO. Shane Hampton, 32, of Philadelphia, was sentenced today to two years and 11 months in prison. His co-conspirator, Michael Kane, 39, of Miami Beach, Florida, was sentenced yesterday to three years and nine months in prison. “Shane Hampton, Michael Kane, and their co-conspirators defrauded investors by using a trading bot to manipulate the price of their company’s cryptocurrency,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “In this case, for the first time, a jury in a federal criminal trial found that a cryptocurrency was a security and that manipulating cryptocurrency prices was securities fraud. This prosecution and the sentences imposed today should serve as a warning: The Criminal Division will not hesitate to use all tools at its disposal—including the federal securities laws—to protect the integrity of cryptocurrency markets.” According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Kane was the co-founder and CEO of Hydrogen Technology, and Hampton was the Head of Financial Engineering at the company. Kane and Hampton hired an outside firm, Moonwalkers Trading Limited of South Africa, to manipulate the price of HYDRO on a cryptocurrency exchange headquartered in the United States by using an automated trading application or “bot” to flood the market with fake and fraudulent orders from October 2018 to April 2019. Kane, Hampton, and their co-conspirators executed approximately $7 million in “wash trades” and placed over $300 million in “spoof trades” for HYDRO through the bot. These manipulative trades were designed to, and did, fraudulently induce retail investors to purchase HYDRO. Through the artificially inflated prices that resulted from their manipulation efforts, Kane, Hampton, and their co-conspirators made approximately $2 million in profits from selling HYDRO over roughly 10 months. Kane pleaded guilty in November 2023 to one count of conspiracy to commit securities price manipulation, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and two counts of wire fraud. Hampton was convicted by a federal jury on Feb. 7 of one count of conspiracy to commit securities price manipulation and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The jury unanimously found that the defendants’ sales of HYDRO constituted investment contracts, making the token a security under federal securities law. Hampton’s case was the first criminal jury trial in which a cryptocurrency was found to be a security. Two other co-conspirators, Andrew Chorlian and Tyler Ostern, pleaded guilty in May 2023 to one count of conspiracy to commit securities price manipulation and wire fraud, and both were previously sentenced. The FBI Miami Field Office investigated the case. Assistant Chief Scott Armstrong and Trial Attorney Andrew Jaco of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.


title: Man Convicted of Violent Home Invasion Robberies to Steal Cryptocurrency

body_text: A federal jury in Greensboro, North Carolina, convicted a Florida man today for his lead role in an international conspiracy to break into U.S. citizens’ homes, violently kidnap and assault them, and steal their Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Remy St Felix, 24, of West Palm Beach, was a leader of a robbery crew that targeted cryptocurrency owners through violent home invasions. Between September 2022 and July 2023, St Felix helped to plan and orchestrate a series of robberies in Durham, North Carolina; Florida; Texas; and New York. Victims from St Felix’s home invasions were kidnapped in their own homes and told to access and drain their cryptocurrency accounts. “St Felix and his co-conspirators targeted victims across the United States for brutal home invasions, kidnappings, and robberies in order to steal cryptocurrency,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Although the members of this violent conspiracy tried to cover their tracks through encrypted communication and anonymous financial transactions, they were not beyond the reach of our dedicated investigators and prosecutors. The jury’s verdict today—the latest in more than a dozen convictions in this case—should serve as yet another reminder that the Criminal Division and its partners are committed to bringing violent offenders to justice, no matter how technically sophisticated their crimes may be.” “The victims in this case suffered a horrible, painful experience that no citizen should have to endure,” said U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston for the Middle District of North Carolina. “The defendant and his co-conspirators acted purely out of greed and callously terrorized those they targeted. The jury’s verdict in this case represents a vital step in securing justice for these victims.” According to trial evidence, in April 2023, St Felix and a co-conspirator forced their way into a victim’s home. There, St Felix and his co-conspirator assaulted, zip-tied, and held the victim at gunpoint, and threatened more violence against the victim and the victim’s spouse, while other co-conspirators transferred more than $150,000 in cryptocurrency from the victim’s account. Evidence introduced at trial revealed that St Felix and his co-conspirators gained unauthorized access to their targets’ email accounts and conducted physical surveillance prior to attempting the home invasion robberies. They laundered the funds they stole through anonymity-enhanced cryptocurrencies such as Monero, as well as “instant exchanges” and decentralized finance platforms that did not conduct know-your-customer checks. St Felix and his co-conspirators in the United States and abroad used encrypted messaging applications to communicate about their targets and their money laundering efforts. “Engaging in violence in the furtherance of stealing cryptocurrency, as Remy St Felix did, will not be tolerated by the FBI and its partners,” said Executive Assistant Director Timothy Langan of the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch. “We are proud of the work that led to today’s conviction, which should act as a warning to others looking to participate in similar activity that we will not stop until you face the consequences of your actions.” “The crimes committed by this ring of violent cryptocurrency thieves are shocking. They held victims hostage in their own homes and stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from their crypto accounts,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert M. DeWitt of the FBI Charlotte Field Office. “This investigation is an outstanding example of what a local FBI field office can accomplish. We hope the tireless work of our criminal and cyber squads can provide some sense of justice to the victims terrorized by this group.” St Felix was arrested by the FBI in July 2023 on his way to commit a home invasion in New York. Thirteen of St Felix’s co-conspirators, including members of his home invasion robbery crew, also were arrested and later pleaded guilty to their roles in the scheme. The jury convicted St Felix of nine counts relating to conspiracy, kidnapping, Hobbs Act robbery, wire fraud, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of crimes of violence. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 11 and faces a mandatory minimum of seven years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina; and Special Agent in Charge Robert M. DeWitt of the FBI Charlotte Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Charlotte Field Office investigated the case, with valuable assistance from the Durham Police Department and the FBI New York, Miami, Houston, Mobile, and Newark Field Offices. The National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET) of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section is partnered with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina in prosecuting the case. CCIPS/NCET Trial Attorney and Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Iverson for the Middle District of North Carolina and CCIPS Trial Attorney Brian Mund are prosecuting the case. The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Southern District of Florida, Southern District of Texas, and Eastern District of Texas provided valuable assistance. NCET was established to combat the growing illicit use of cryptocurrencies and digital assets. Within CCIPS, NCET conducts and supports investigations into individuals and entities that enable the use of digital assets to commit and facilitate a variety of crimes, with a particular focus on virtual currency exchanges, obfuscation services, and infrastructure providers. NCET also sets strategic priorities regarding digital asset technologies, identifies areas for increased investigative and prosecutorial focus, and leads the department’s efforts to collaborate with domestic and foreign government agencies as well as the private sector to aggressively investigate and prosecute crimes involving cryptocurrency and digital assets.


component: USAO - North Carolina, Middle

body_text: WASHINGTON – A federal jury in Greensboro, North Carolina, convicted a Florida man today for his lead role in an international conspiracy to break into U.S. citizens’ homes, violently kidnap and assault them, and steal their Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Remy St Felix, 24, of West Palm Beach, was a leader of a robbery crew that targeted cryptocurrency owners through violent home invasions. Between September 2022 and July 2023, St Felix helped to plan and orchestrate a series of robberies in Durham, North Carolina; Florida; Texas; and New York. Victims from St Felix’s home invasions were kidnapped in their own homes and told to access and drain their cryptocurrency accounts. “St Felix and his co-conspirators targeted victims across the United States for brutal home invasions, kidnappings, and robberies in order to steal cryptocurrency,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Although the members of this violent conspiracy tried to cover their tracks through encrypted communication and anonymous financial transactions, they were not beyond the reach of our dedicated investigators and prosecutors. The jury’s verdict today—the latest in more than a dozen convictions in this case—should serve as yet another reminder that the Criminal Division and its partners are committed to bringing violent offenders to justice, no matter how technically sophisticated their crimes may be.” “The victims in this case suffered a horrible, painful experience that no citizen should have to endure,” said U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston for the Middle District of North Carolina. “The defendant and his co-conspirators acted purely out of greed and callously terrorized those they targeted. The jury’s verdict in this case represents a vital step in securing justice for these victims.” According to trial evidence, in April 2023, St Felix and a co-conspirator forced their way into a victim’s home. There, St Felix and his co-conspirator assaulted, zip-tied, and held the victim at gunpoint, and threatened more violence against the victim and the victim’s spouse, while other co-conspirators transferred more than $150,000 in cryptocurrency from the victim’s account. Evidence introduced at trial revealed that St Felix and his co-conspirators gained unauthorized access to their targets’ email accounts and conducted physical surveillance prior to attempting the home invasion robberies. They laundered the funds they stole through anonymity-enhanced cryptocurrencies such as Monero, as well as “instant exchanges” and decentralized finance platforms that did not conduct know-your-customer checks. St Felix and his co-conspirators in the United States and abroad used encrypted messaging applications to communicate about their targets and their money laundering efforts. “Engaging in violence in the furtherance of stealing cryptocurrency, as Remy St Felix did, will not be tolerated by the FBI and its partners,” said Executive Assistant Director Timothy Langan of the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch. “We are proud of the work that led to today’s conviction, which should act as a warning to others looking to participate in similar activity that we will not stop until you face the consequences of your actions.” “The crimes committed by this ring of violent cryptocurrency thieves are shocking. They held victims hostage in their own homes and stole hundreds of millions of dollars from their crypto accounts,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert M. DeWitt of the FBI Charlotte Field Office. “This investigation is an outstanding example of what a local FBI field office can accomplish. We hope the tireless work of our criminal and cyber squads can provide some sense of justice to the victims terrorized by this group.” St Felix was arrested by the FBI in July 2023 on his way to commit a home invasion in New York. Thirteen of St Felix’s co-conspirators, including members of his home invasion robbery crew, also were arrested and later pleaded guilty to their roles in the scheme. The jury convicted St Felix of nine counts relating to conspiracy, kidnapping, Hobbs Act robbery, wire fraud, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of crimes of violence. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 11 and faces a mandatory minimum of seven years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina; and Special Agent in Charge Robert M. DeWitt of the FBI Charlotte Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Charlotte Field Office investigated the case, with valuable assistance from the Durham Police Department and the FBI New York, Miami, Houston, Mobile, and Newark Field Offices. The National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET) of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section is partnered with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina in prosecuting the case. CCIPS/NCET Trial Attorney and Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Iverson for the Middle District of North Carolina and CCIPS Trial Attorney Brian Mund are prosecuting the case. The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Southern District of Florida, Southern District of Texas, and Eastern District of Texas provided valuable assistance. NCET was established to combat the growing illicit use of cryptocurrencies and digital assets. Within CCIPS, NCET conducts and supports investigations into individuals and entities that enable the use of digital assets to commit and facilitate a variety of crimes, with a particular focus on virtual currency exchanges, obfuscation services, and infrastructure providers. NCET also sets strategic priorities regarding digital asset technologies, identifies areas for increased investigative and prosecutorial focus, and leads the department’s efforts to collaborate with domestic and foreign government agencies as well as the private sector to aggressively investigate and prosecute crimes involving cryptocurrency and digital assets. ###


title: Two Members Of Infamous Ryders Motorcycle Club Convicted Of Robbery And Firearm Offenses

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Steven Wong, a/k/a “Chino,” age 43, of Shallotte, North Carolina, and Solomon Rodriguez, a/k/a “Solo,” age 34, of Reading, Pennsylvania, were convicted on June 21, 2024, for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery, firearms conspiracy, attempted Hobbs Act Robbery, Hobbs Act Robbery, and two counts of use of firearms in furtherance of a crime of violence following a two-week trial before United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Wong was the president of the Schuylkill County chapter of the Infamous Ryders Motorcycle Club, of which Solomon Rodriguez was a member. Wong used his position to recruit members of the motorcycle club to participate in a series of brutal home-invasion armed robberies in Schuylkill and Berks County in the summer and fall of 2020. Wong rewarded loyal members involved in the conspiracy with money and free drugs. During these home invasion robberies, two or three members of the conspiracy would enter the homes of local street-level drug dealers while wearing masks and armed with firearms and knives and rob the victims of drugs and drug proceeds. One of the firearms used was a fully automatic homemade AR-15 style assault rifle. During the seven-day trial, prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office presented the testimony from approximately 19 witnesses, including expert witness testimony from an ATF Firearms expert, and an expert in historic cell-site location data analysis. Both defendants testified on their own behalf. “This group acted with extreme violence, invading people’s homes with machine guns drawn, and committing crimes that brutalized their victims,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Philadelphia Field Division. “Though our cooperative efforts with the Pennsylvania State police and local police departments, we successfully brought these criminals to justice and ended their trail of crimes, making our communities safer again.” The charges stem from an investigation involving the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Pennsylvania State Police, the Mahanoy City Police Department, the Schuylkill Haven Police Department, the Pottsville Police Department, the Shillington Police Department, the Reading Police Department, and the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys James Buchanan, Jenny Roberts, and Sarah Lloyd prosecuted the case. This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. In this case, the maximum penalty is life imprisonment. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. # # #


title: Fact Sheet: Two Years of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act

body_text: June 25 marks the second anniversary of the enactment of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) – a landmark law focused on reducing and protecting communities from gun violence. The Justice Department has pursued a cross-department approach with the new tools provided in BSCA, from enhanced background checks to grantmaking. Some of the Department’s most significant accomplishments made possible by BSCA follow below. Publishing an Interim Final Rule (IFR) to Prevent Stolen Firearm from Being Resold On June 25, the Department published an IFR that, for the first time, will enable federal firearm licensees (FFLs) to voluntarily check the FBI’s National Crime Information Center records to see if a firearm offered for sale was stolen. This IFR will help keep stolen firearms out of FFL inventories, and increase reporting of stolen firearms, helping law enforcement develop leads into firearm theft and trafficking. Enhanced Checks for Purchasers Under 21 BSCA mandates enhanced background checks for firearm purchasers under the age of 21 (“U21 enhanced checks”), specifically requiring checks of juvenile criminal history and mental health records. Since BSCA’s passage: Over 260,000 U21 enhanced checks have been completed; 800 firearm purchases were prevented solely because the enhanced U21 checks revealed that the purchasers were prohibited by law from purchasing or possessing firearms. Fighting Illegal Trafficking in Firearms BSCA created new criminal offenses for unlawfully trafficking in firearms and for straw-purchasing a firearm on behalf of a prohibited person. To date, 525 defendants, in 280 cases, have been charged under these new trafficking and straw purchasing provisions. These cases include significant prosecutions of firearms trafficking linked to transnational cartels and narcotics distribution. Coordination is ongoing with non-Justice Department federal law enforcement to identify criminal investigations eligible for application of new criminal provisions. ATF’s anti-straw-purchasing campaign “Don’t Lie for the Other Guy” was expanded, with new events in St. Louis, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Fort Worth, Texas, Jackson, Mississippi, and Chantilly, Virginia. Narrowing the Boyfriend Loophole BSCA narrowed the “boyfriend loophole” by prohibiting those convicted of misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence (MCDVs) from possessing firearms when those crimes occurred in the context of a dating relationship. Nearly 3,000 firearm purchases in 2024 and over 10,000 since 2023 have been denied because of an MCDV conviction (including but not limited to crimes that took place in a dating relationship). More than 2,000 entries have been submitted into the FBI’s background check system (NICS), recording an MCDV conviction involving a dating relationship. Efforts are ongoing to educate local law enforcement and prosecutors on this new prohibition, including: Webinars in 27 states, with 13 more planned; NICS trainings attended by over 500 law enforcement agencies; A BSCA webinar hosted by EOUSA and attended by nearly 1,000 prosecutors and agents; and The Department’s multi-component Domestic Violence Community of Interest (DV-COI) issuing an updated MCDV Reference Card, including guidance on the dating-relationship provision of BSCA. Funding Violence Prevention and Intervention Programs BSCA authorized a total of $1.4 billion in funding for new and existing violence-prevention and intervention programs between 2022 and 2026. Thus far, the Department has provided: Over $238 million in Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program grants for state crisis intervention court proceedings. Over $73 million in supplemental OJP STOP School Violence grants to enhance school security. In part through BSCA funding: more than 3,500 schools enhanced intervention teams; more than 2,300 schools formed intervention teams; and 141 schools implemented school safety plans. Schools receiving grant funding had licensed professionals assess 95% of those who received clinical threat assessments. $40 million in supplemental COPS School Violence Prevention Program grants . Over $94 million in supplemental Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative (CVIPI) grants . Nearly $75 million in National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP) Supplemental Funding. Engaged in the Business of Dealing in Firearms From FY21 to FY23, there was a 60% increase in the number of defendants charged with engaging in the business of importing, manufacturing, or dealing in firearms without a license. In April 2024, the Department issued a Final Rule (EIB Rule) implementing the BSCA statutory definition clarifying when a person is “engaged in the business” of dealing in firearms, and thus required to obtain a federal firearms license. The EIB Rule will promote increased compliance with federal gun laws, thereby increasing the number of background checks performed, and expanding the availability of records for the tracing of crime guns by law enforcement.


title: New York Man Sentenced To 360 Months’ Imprisonment For Production Of Child Pornography

body_text: SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Alkayan Khan, age 37, of Ozone Park, New York, was sentenced today to 360 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Julia K. Munley for one count of production of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Khan previously pleaded guilty to one count of production of visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Khan admitted that on September 28, 2021, he coerced a minor victim to create and then send him photographs of herself engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Khan, a family friend of the minor victim’s family, had used his position of trust within the family to engage in a years’ long pattern of abuse against the minor victim. Ultimately, the minor victim became pregnant with Khan’s child and Khan coerced the minor victim to falsely report that she had been raped in her middle school’s bathroom by an unknown assailant. The victim, upon being interviewed by detectives from the Pocono Mountain Regional Police, admitted that Khan was her child’s father and that he had coerced her to concoct the story. The charges stem from an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department, and the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney James M. Buchanan prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . # # #


title: Tampa Man Sentenced To 24 Years In Federal Prison For Committing Three Armed Robberies

body_text: Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Donald Robert Smith (29, Tampa) to 24 years in federal prison for three separate Hobbs Act robberies, brandishing a firearm during and in relation to one of the robberies, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to another of the robberies. As part of his plea agreement, Smith has agreed to forfeit the firearm used in the offenses. According to court documents, on August 1, 2022, Smith robbed a Tampa business pointing a firearm at business employees. Two days later, Smith robbed another Tampa business by pointing a firearm at the cashier and demanding money. During the investigation into the first two robberies, a search warrant for Smith’s vehicle was executed. Inside the vehicle, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives located a Taurus 9mm handgun. This firearm was then linked by a shell casing to another robbery on August 1, 2022. During this robbery, Smith approached an individual as he was turning in his work truck for the night. Smith approached the victim and demanded his wallet. As Smith walked away, he discharged the firearm. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney James Muench. 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.