title: Charleston Man and Woman Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Today, Kenneth Desaun Hayway, 38, of Charleston, was sentenced to three years and one month in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, and Hannah Elizabeth Barbee, 30, of Charleston, was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release. Hayway and Barbee were sentenced for conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture containing a detectable amount of fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, Hayway sold fentanyl to a confidential informant asking to purchase heroin on August 15, 2022, and August 19, 2022, in Charleston. Hayway further admitted to organizing the sale of fentanyl with Barbee and co-defendant Khalif Marquee Coleman to a confidential informant seeking heroin on August 19, 2022, at Barbee’s Chesterfield Avenue residence in Charleston. Barbee admitted to selling fentanyl to a confidential informant seeking heroin on six occasions between August 5, 2022, and September 27, 2022, at her Chesterfield Avenue residence. On September 28, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Barbee’s residence and found mixtures containing fentanyl totaling 55.97 grams, scales, drug packaging materials, and $5,926. Some of the cash recovered during the search was prerecorded buy money from the sales to confidential informants. Coleman, 35, of Charleston, was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison on July 20, 2023, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture containing a detectable amount of fentanyl. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), and the assistance provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Mid-Atlantic Laboratory. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-198. ###


title: Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Crime

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Randell Lee Proctor, 44, of Belle, pleaded guilty today to possession of a firearm by a person previously convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 29, 2022, Proctor possessed a Hi-Point, model C9, 9mm semi-automatic pistol in the Rand area of Kanawha County. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior conviction for a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Proctor knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior convictions for domestic battery on September 15, 2016, November 26, 2013, January 24, 2005 and September 24, 2002, all in Kanawha County Magistrate Court. Proctor is scheduled to be sentenced on December 7, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Troy D. Adams is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-74. ###


title: Former Mississippi Department of Corrections Officer Pleads Guilty to Using Excessive Force Against an Inmate

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: A former corrections officer with the Mississippi Department of Corrections pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Tom Lee for using excessive force against an inmate, involving the use of a dangerous weapon and resulting in bodily injury. According to court documents and information presented in court, on July 11, 2019, Jessica Hill, a corrections officer at the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility, willfully deprived inmate L.C. of the Eighth Amendment right to be free from cruel and unusual punishment when the defendant, aiding and abetting others, struck L.C. with a cannister and repeatedly punched L.C. in the head even though L.C. was not resisting. Hill continued to strike L.C., who was lying on the ground in the fetal position, until fellow prison staff intervened to stop Hill’s assault. “Prison officials who engage in such abuses of power endanger inmates and fellow staff members and will be held accountable for their actions,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Using violent physical force as punishment will not be tolerated. The Justice Department will continue to vindicate the Eighth Amendment right of prisoners to be free from cruel and unusual punishment at the hands of prison officials.” “This defendant has now confessed her abusive conduct.” said U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca for the Southern District of Mississippi. “She and all others entrusted with the protection of society must conduct themselves with self-discipline and under the law. Clearly, she violated her oath, and now will be held accountable.” “Our citizens serving time for crimes committed against the public deserve the safety and protection from harm by those officials who are charged with their care,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Maher Dimachkie of the FBI Jackson Field Office. “Ms. Hill’s blatant disregard for the rights afforded under the Eighth Amendment is a disservice to those in the penal system, the corrections officers who take pride in their profession. The FBI remains committed to protecting all citizens we serve. Hill faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Her sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 25. The FBI Jackson Field Office is investigating the case. Trial Attorney Eric Peffley of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenda Haynes for the Southern District of Mississippi are prosecuting the case.


title: Ten MS-13 Members and Associates Indicted for Gang-Related Murders and Racketeering

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — A seven-count superseding indictment was unsealed today, charging 10 MS‑13 members and associates with a RICO conspiracy and murder in aid of racketeering, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. “When reports surfaced that MS-13 had established a presence in the City of Mendota in the Central Valley, a multi-agency investigation was launched,” U.S. Attorney Talbert said. “Today’s announcement is a direct result of the arrests in 2018 of 25 individuals on federal and state charges in connection with their Mara Salvatrucha (MS‑13) gang activities. One of the highest priorities of my office and of the federal law enforcement agencies we work with is to partner with the police departments, sheriffs’ offices, and district attorneys in our district to reduce violent crime.” According to court documents, the following defendants named in the indictment are alleged members and associates of Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), a violent criminal street gang: Martin Alfredo Leiva-Leiva, 43, of Richmond; Juan Carlos Urias-Torres, 34, of Stockton; Angel Antonio Diaz-Morales, 32, of Salinas; Jose Rene Barrera-Martinez, 34, of Mendota; Luis Fausino Diaz-Pineda, 28, of Mendota; Angel Antonio Castro-Alfaro, 29, of Mendota; Jose Joaquin Amaya-Orellana, 31, of Mendota; Julio Cesar Recinos-Sorto, 28, of Leesburg, Virginia; Jose Armando Torres-Garcia, 27, of El Salvador; and Jose Santos Hernandez-Otero, 29, of El Salvador. The criminal organization’s members and associates engage in acts of violence, including acts involving murder, extortion, kidnapping, assault, and other crimes often with the purpose of intimidating rival gang members, victims of extortion, and members of the community, and to protect their “turf” and fellow gang members. MS-13 According to court documents, MS-13 (Mara Salvatrucha) was formed in Los Angeles in the mid 1980s by Salvadoran immigrants and is known for committing brutal acts of violence against rival gang members and nongang members. MS-13 in Los Angeles is beholden to the Mexican Mafia, which is a criminal organization that united Hispanic gang members under a single alliance operating within the California state prison system, the streets and suburbs of large cities throughout Southern California, and elsewhere. MS-13 has a self-imposed code of conduct to enforce and maintain compliance among its members. MS-13 also adopts and enforces the Mexican Mafia’s rules. MS-13 has zero tolerance for members and associates who cooperate with law enforcement. Once MS-13 has evidence that someone has cooperated with law enforcement, MS-13 issues a “green light” as to that person, which is an order that if any MS-13 member sees the person who is allegedly or actually cooperating with law enforcement, that person is to be killed on sight. MS-13 members also engage in acts of violence against innocent citizens and rival gang members in their territory. Participation in violent acts increases the respect accorded to members who commit violent acts. Additionally, commission of violent acts by MS-13 members enhances the gang’s overall reputation for violence in the community, resulting in the intimidation of citizens in MS-13’s territory. MS-13 in Fresno County Since 2015, there are more than 14 homicides alleged to be related to MS-13 in Mendota. These homicides are alleged to be related to MS-13 for a variety of reasons that include: the locations where the homicide victims were recovered (in and around Mendota), the association between the homicide victims and known MS-13 gang members, and the cause of death or condition the homicide victims have been found, including gruesome attacks caused by machetes, a weapon commonly used by MS‑13 gang members. The MS-13 subsets operating in Mendota have a direct connection to, and originate from, MS‑13 from Los Angeles. Investigators allege that the individuals charged in the indictment were associated with a Mara Salvatrucha subset in Mendota known as Vatos Locos Salvatruchos (VLS). Murder of an adult male on Jan. 26, 2016 Leiva-Leiva and Diaz-Morales are charged with the murder of an adult male on Jan. 26, 2016, in San Benito County for the purpose of gaining entrance and maintaining and increasing position in MS-13. Murder of an adult female on July 13, 2016 Leiva-Leiva and Urias-Torres are charged with the murder in Fresno County of an adult female that occurred on July 13, 2016, for the purpose of gaining entrance and maintaining and increasing position in MS-13. Murder of an adult female and an adult male on Oct. 30, 2016 Leiva-Leiva, Hernandez-Otero, Torres-Garcia, Amaya-Orellana, and Recinos-Sorto are charged with murdering an adult female and an adult male on Oct. 30, 2016, in Fresno County for the purpose of gaining entrance and maintaining and increasing position in MS-13. Murder of an adult male in January 2017 Leiva-Leiva, Barrera-Martinez, Diaz-Pineda, and Angel Antonio Castro-Alfaro are charged with the January 2017 murder of an adult male in Fresno County for the purpose of gaining entrance and maintaining and increasing position in MS-13. Murder of an adult female on Dec. 13, 2017 Leiva-Leiva and Urias-Torres are charged with the murder of an adult female on Dec. 13, 2017, for the purpose of gaining entrance and maintaining and increasing position in MS-13. “MS-13 gang members prey upon the communities they live in, committing the most heinous, violent acts against their victims. The streets of the Central Valley and surrounding communities are safer when criminal gang members are arrested and held to account for their crimes,” said HSI San Francisco Special Agent in Charge Tatum King. “I’m proud of HSI’s exhaustive investigative work, together with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, the California Highway Patrol, the California Department of Justice, and the US Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of California, in bringing these subjects to justice.” “The FBI is deeply committed to leveraging all of its assets, both foreign and domestic, in collaboration with our local, state, and federal partners to disrupt and dismantle criminal organizations that threaten the communities we serve. Every family deserves to live in a community free of fear and gang violence,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “We also need the public to come forward with information to help us all in that mission. Never suffer in silence; law enforcement can and will help ensure justice for victims and safer communities for all.” This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations, in partnership with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, the Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC), and the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office with assistance from the Mendota Police Department, the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office, the Los Angeles Police Department Robbery, Homicide Division and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Gang Section (OCGS), the Office of Enforcement Operations (OEO), and the Office of International Affairs (OIA) also assisted. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly A. Sanchez and Justin J. Gilio and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Veneman-Hughes are prosecuting the case. If convicted, the defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of death. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF. 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 U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. Anyone with information on murders committed in the Mendota area 2014-2018, please call the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit at 559-600-3111. leiva-leiva_superseding_indictment.pdf


title: Former Missouri State Highway Patrol Inspector Sentenced to Prison for Bribery

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Thursday sentenced a former supervisory motor vehicle inspector with the Missouri State Highway Patrol to 15 months in prison for taking thousands of dollars in cash bribes. Judge Schelp also ordered Larry S. Conrad, 67, to perform 100 hours of community service and pay a $20,000 fine, part of which represented the bribe money that he’d already spent. At his guilty plea in April, Conrad admitted accepting a total of about $14,020 in individual bribes of $40 to $160 to falsify forms and approve inspections of vehicles that had been damaged and had salvage titles or were listed as “abandoned,” even if he never saw the vehicle. Conrad “bypassed the entire safety system that was put in place by the state of Missouri and the Missouri State Highway Patrol to ensure that vehicles were safe to operate on our roads,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith said during Thursday’s hearing, “potentially placing unwitting drivers and other motorists in harm’s way.” In a sentencing memorandum, Goldsmith wrote that Conrad accepted hundreds of bribes over at least six months before being caught. After receiving a tip about Conrad’s conduct, investigators recorded Conrad taking cash bribes that had been placed in the driver’s side door pocket, the memo says. When he was approached by law enforcement on Sept. 29, 2022, Conrad lied and denied accepting any cash payments that day. After being told that there was audio and video evidence of the bribes, Conrad admitted accepting a small amount of cash, and took it out of his pocket. Pressed further, Conrad admitted accepting additional bribes that day, and took cash out of his pants pockets five different times, eventually admitting that he had taken $610 that day, the memo says. After falsely claiming that he kept money from other bribes in a safe, Conrad made a full confession and allowed the FBI to retrieve $6,565 in envelopes that he’d stashed underneath the rear seat of his personal truck. Conrad issued passing motor vehicle inspections and certified motor vehicles which he had not even physically inspected, including at least one that was so “substantially damaged as not being in working and driving condition,” Goldsmith wrote. His actions “allowed for the sale of vehicles, some of which had latent and undisclosed damage, to unsuspecting individuals who unwittingly trusted that defendant and the Highway Patrol had conducted proper inspections,” Goldsmith wrote. Conrad’s primary duty was to perform motor vehicle inspections at the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Troop C facility in south St. Louis County. There is no fee for the inspections. If the vehicle passes, an inspector signs and certifies forms required for motor vehicle owners to apply for original Missouri Certificates of Title. Conrad pleaded guilty to one felony charge of using a facility in interstate commerce, a cellular telephone, to facilitate his bribery scheme. The case was investigated by the FBI, with the cooperation of the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith prosecuted the case.


title: Gloucester County Man Admits Conspiring to Commit Bank Fraud and Credit Card Fraud

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: CAMDEN, N.J. – A Gloucester County, New Jersey, man today admitted participating in schemes to negotiate fraudulent checks with forged signatures and to use credit cards without authorization, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Misty Sarfo-Adu, 28, of Sewell, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler in Camden federal court to an information charging him with one count of bank fraud conspiracy and one count of access device fraud conspiracy. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Sarfo-Adu conspired with Eugene Koranteng, Emmanuel Yirenkyi, and others to commit bank fraud by obtaining blank checks containing the names and account information of unsuspecting customers of a credit card company. They made the checks payable to members of the conspiracy, forged the customers’ signatures on the checks, and negotiated the checks at financial institutions. In a separate scheme, Sarfo-Adu and Yirenkyi also conspired to use credit cards without the account holders’ knowledge or authorization. Sarfo-Adu admitted that the fraud schemes caused a loss to the credit card company of more than $150,000. The count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. The count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 28, 2023. Koranteng and Yirenkyi remain charged in criminal complaints. The charges and allegations contained in the complaints against Koranteng and Yirenkyi are merely accusations, and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. U.S. Attorney Sellinger also thanked the Moorestown Police Department for its assistance in the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden. sarfoadu.information.pdf


title: Joint Statement from Canada, Mexico, and the United States Following the Second Trilateral Fentanyl Committee Meeting

component: Office of the Deputy Attorney General

body_text: On July 25, 2023 Mexico’s Secretary of Security Rosa Icela Rodriguez hosted U.S. Homeland Security Advisor Dr. Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall and Canada’s National Security and Intelligence Advisor Jody Thomas (virtually) in the second meeting of the Trilateral Fentanyl Committee to propel and expand actions on our shared commitment to combat the trafficking of synthetic drugs. President Joe Biden, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau established this trilateral Committee, comprising high-level representatives from the three countries, during the North American Leaders’ Summit on January 9-10, 2023, to guide priority actions to address the illicit fentanyl threat facing North America. The three co-chairs reaffirmed commitments to jointly confront the deadly scourge of synthetic drugs, and discussed the steps we are taking to fulfill them, including by: 1) intensifying and expanding prosecution of drug traffickers and dismantling criminal networks; 2) targeting the supply of precursor chemicals used to make illicit fentanyl and inviting action by private chemical and shipping companies to prevent diversion; 3) preventing the trafficking of drugs across our borders; and 4) promoting public health services to reduce harm and demand, educate individuals on the risks of substance use, and provide treatment to those seeking it. The three delegations committed to create an expert working group to identify challenges related to our respective legislative and regulatory frameworks associated with precursor chemicals, and related equipment. The three countries also committed to establishing an agile mechanism to promptly share emerging illegal drugs and drug trafficking trends. The three countries committed to continue working together to expand international support to address the threat of synthetic drugs, building on the very strong collaboration of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, and working through the new Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats. To that end, the three countries committed to present progress on their joint efforts within the Trilateral Fentanyl Committee to Coalition partners at the next meeting of the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly. Representing Mexico were the Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, Rosa Icela Rodríguez; the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Alicia Bárcena Ibarra; the Secretary of the Interior, Luisa María Alcalde Luján; the Secretary of National Defense, Gen. Luis Cresencio Sandoval González; the Secretary of the Navy, Adm. José Rafael Ojeda Durán; Secretary of Health, Dr. Jorge Alcocer Varela; the General Attorney of the Republic, Alejandro Gertz Manero; Chief Officer for North America, Roberto Velasco Álvarez; Ambassador of Mexico to the United States, Esteban Moctezuma Barragán; Ambassador of Mexico to Canada, Carlos Joaquín González (virtual); Deputy Commissioner of the National Migration Institute, Alejandro Tagle Marroquin; the General Secretary of the National Intelligence Center, Saúl Parra Ibarra; the fiscal Attorney General, Arturo Medina Padilla; the head of the Financial Intelligence Unit, Pablo Gómez Álvarez; and the spokesperson for the Mexican Government, Jesús Ramírez Cuevas. The U.S. delegation was led by the White House Homeland Security Advisor, Dr. Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall; and included the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Ken Salazar; the Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, Richard Verma; the Deputy Attorney General, Lisa O. Monaco; the Acting Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristie Canegallo; the Senior Advisor to the Director of National Drug Control Policy, Kemp Chester; the Department of Justice Senior Counsel Joshua Handell; and U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission in Mexico, Mark C. Johnson. Canada was represented by the National Security and Intelligence Advisor to the Prime Minister, Jody Thomas (virtually); the Associate Deputy Minister of Public Safety Canada, Tricia Geddes; the Senior Assistant Deputy Minister responsible for Crime Prevention at Public Safety Canada, Talal Dakalbab; the Chargé d’Affaires and Deputy Chief of Mission of Canada in Mexico, Shauna Hemingway; the Executive Director of the Opioid Response Team at Health Canada, Jennifer Novak; the Senior Policy Advisor to the National Security and Intelligence Advisor to the Prime Minister, Shannon Partridge; the Counsellor for Intergovernmental Affairs at the Canadian Embassy in Mexico, Lucie Verreault; and the Public Safety Canada Counsellor at the Canadian Embassy in Washington D.C., Michael Holmes.


title: California Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine Resulting in Death

component: USAO - Iowa, Southern

body_text: DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Long Beach, California man was sentenced on July 21, 2023 to 12 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine resulting in the death of a victim. According to public court documents, Ray Bustamante, 61, conspired with Dr. John Robert Muriello and Eric Hojka, both of Iowa City, and others, to obtain and distribute methamphetamine. An investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service revealed that since early 2020, Bustamante mailed packages of methamphetamine to people he met online. In March 2021, a parcel, mailed by Bustamante, was intercepted by Postal Inspectors and found to contain approximately 137 grams of “ice” methamphetamine. In a separate investigation in May 2021, first responders were dispatched to Hojka’s Iowa City apartment for a report of an unconscious victim, who was later pronounced dead. An autopsy revealed the victim ingested methamphetamine which caused his death. It was later determined that the methamphetamine ingested by the victim originated from Bustamante and was sent to Dr. John Robert Muriello and Eric Hojka in Iowa City for distribution. After his prison term, Bustamante was ordered to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Iowa City Police Department.


title: Spokane Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Firearms Offenses

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Spokane – On July 25, 2023, U.S. Senior District Judge Rosanna Malouf Peterson sentenced Merced Zamora, 41, of Spokane, Washington, to 240 months in federal prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams of Actual Methamphetamine, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, as well as for Use, Carry, and Possession of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Offense. Zamora was previously convicted, on March 1, 2023, following a multi-day jury trial. Senior Judge Peterson also ordered Zamora to serve an additional ten years on federal supervision after he is released from prison. According to court documents, Zamora, on January 11, 2019, was the driver of a vehicle that was stopped for a traffic violation by a Spokane County Sheriff’s Office Deputy. At the time of the traffic stop, Zamora’s driver’s license was suspended. Following a search of Zamora’s vehicle, two firearms, ammunition, drug paraphernalia, and approximately a half pound of methamphetamine were recovered from inside the car. Zamora’s trial began on February 27, 2023. After testimony from numerous witnesses, the jury convicted Zamora on March 1, 2023 of all charges. Following the sentencing, Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, stated, “I am grateful for the dedication of the investigators, agents, and prosecutors, who brought Mr. Zamora to justice. Thanks to their dedication, a dangerous offender, illegal firearms, and deadly drugs have been removed from the Spokane community. We will continue to work with our federal, state, and local partners to keep our neighborhoods and communities safe and strong.” This case was prosecuted under the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program. PSN is a federal, state, and local law enforcement collaboration to identify, investigate, and prosecute individuals responsible for violent crimes in our neighborhoods. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement to specifically identify the criminals responsible for violent crime in the Eastern District of Washington and pursue criminal prosecution. This case was investigated by the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Spokane Regional Safe Streets Task Force, the Spokane Resident Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”), and the Drug Enforcement Administration. This case was prosecuted by Patrick J. Cashman , an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington. 2:20-CR-00160-RMP-1


title: Virginia Beach Man Sentenced for Large-Scale Methamphetamine Conspiracy

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man was sentenced today to 248 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, on October 13, 2021, Christian Gage Puente, 29, and his co-conspirator, Carlos Santos-Navarro, 25, a Honduran national, distributed approximately 7.8 kilograms of methamphetamine to Candice Rountree, 43, of Virginia Beach, and Alidavid Williams, 42, of Virginia Beach, at a hotel on Crossways Boulevard in Chesapeake. Later that same day, Virginia Beach Police officers conducted a traffic stop of Rountree’s vehicle in which Williams and Rountree were traveling on Shore Drive in Virginia Beach. During the stop, Williams attempted to flee, resulting in Roundtree’s vehicle rolling backward, pinning a Virginia Beach Police detective between Rountree’s Dodge Ram pickup truck and a police vehicle and seriously injuring his right leg. Detectives with the Virginia Beach Police Department and special agents and task force officers with Homeland Security Investigations discovered the distributed drugs during a search of Rountree’s vehicle following the traffic stop. The following day, October 14, 2021, when Puente and Santos-Navarro arrived at a hotel in the 2900 block of Shore Drive in Virginia Beach to collect the proceeds from the sale of methamphetamine, they were detained by Virginia Beach Police detectives. Upon observing the approaching officers, Puente tossed a loaded caliber .38 Special revolver into a bush. Puente then fought with the officers while he was being detained. After he was placed in handcuffs, the police discovered approximately $4,725 in cash on Puente’s person. During a search of Santos-Navarro’s person, the police discovered a loaded 9mm pistol. During a search of Puente’s vehicle, the police discovered a shoebox containing approximately 890 grams of methamphetamine and a digital scale. Co-defendants Candice Rountree and Alidavid Williams pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and were sentenced to 36 months and 200 months in prison respectively. Co-defendant Carlos Santos-Navarro pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and was sentenced to 180 months. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations; and Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen. Assistant U.S. Attorney Darryl J. Mitchell prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-15.


title: Tampa Man Sentenced To 15 Years In Prison For Attempting To Have Sex With A 13-Year-Old Child

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Charlene Honeywell has sentenced Mateus Fernandes Evangelista Da Silva (23, Tampa) to 15 years in federal prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release, for attempting to patronize or solicit a minor for the purpose of engaging in a commercial sex act. Da Silva will be required to register as a sex offender upon release from prison. The court also ordered Da Silva to forfeit a cellular phone, which was used in the offense. Da Silva had pleaded guilty on April 26, 2023. According to court documents, on October 6, 2021, Da Silva responded to an online sexual advertisement on a website that was initiated as part of an undercover operation by law enforcement to target individuals using the internet for purposes of engaging in commercial sex acts with children. Da Silva indicated to the undercover officer that he wanted to have sex with the minors that were depicted in the advertisement, referring to them as “babies.” “Human trafficking and the exploitation of children are exceptionally horrific offenses,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tampa Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kristopher Pagitt. “HSI and our law enforcement partners with the St. Petersburg Police Department will continue to aggressively pursue those who target children and attempt to utilize the internet to engage in these acts.” This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with assistance from the St. Petersburg Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Abigail K. King and former Assistant United States Attorney Lisa M. Thelwell. 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.projectsafechildhood.gov.


title: Man Convicted of Fraudulently Obtaining U.S. Citizenship

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A federal jury in the Northern District of Georgia convicted a Georgia man yesterday of fraudulently obtaining U.S. citizenship by lying about his role in persecuting teenagers in Ethiopia for their political opinions. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Mezemr Abebe Belayneh, 67, of Snellville, unlawfully obtained U.S. citizenship in 2008 by lying about and concealing that he persecuted and committed acts of violence against political opponents during a period known as “the Red Terror” in Ethiopia. The Red Terror was a campaign of brutal violence in the late 1970s in which Ethiopia’s ruling military council and its supporters detained, interrogated, tortured, and executed thousands of perceived political opponents. “The Department of Justice is committed to protecting human rights, and those who commit atrocities will not find safe refuge in the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Thanks to the courage of the victims of these horrible abuses and the persistence of investigators and prosecutors, Mezemr Abebe Belayneh is finally facing justice for the violence he inflicted on young people in Ethiopia 45 years ago.” “The jury’s verdict is aligned with our commitment to holding accountable human rights violators who lie to enter the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan for the Northern District of Georgia. “We are grateful for the remarkable effort and perseverance of our law enforcement partners, who sought justice for the courageous victims, several of whom provided testimony of oppressive violence during the trial.” During the Red Terror, Belayneh served as a civilian interrogator at a makeshift prison known as Menafesha in the city of Dilla, Ethiopia. Belayneh detained teenage victims in a crowded prison for weeks or months, interrogated them about their political beliefs, and directed and participated in severe beatings in which they were whipped or hit with sticks. Belayneh also forced prisoners to physically fight one another for the prison guards’ amusement. Belayneh concealed that conduct when he obtained a visa to enter the United States in 2001 and when he naturalized to become a U.S. citizen in 2008. “Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is committed to identifying and apprehending human rights violators who try to evade justice by seeking shelter in the United States,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard, who oversees HSI operations in Georgia and Alabama. “The United States is not a safe haven for these criminals, and we will never stop looking for them or seeking justice for their victims.” The jury convicted Belayneh of one count of procuring citizenship contrary to law and one count of procuring citizenship to which he was not entitled. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 1 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. HSI Atlanta investigated the case, with coordination provided by the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center (HRVWCC). Established in 2009, the HRVWCC furthers the government’s efforts to identify, locate, and prosecute human rights abusers in the United States, including those who are known or suspected to have participated in persecution, war crimes, genocide, torture, extrajudicial killings, female mutilation, and the use or recruitment of child soldiers. Trial Attorney Patrick Jasperse of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tal C. Chaiken for the Northern District of Georgia are prosecuting the case, with assistance from HRSP Senior Historian Dr. Christopher Hayden. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided significant assistance. Members of the public who have information about former human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact U.S. law enforcement through the HSI tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or its online tip form at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp .


title: Man convicted of fraudulently obtaining U.S. citizenship

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA - A jury has convicted Mezemr Abebe Belayneh for fraudulently obtaining U.S. citizenship by lying about his role in persecuting teenagers in Ethiopia for their political opinions. “The jury’s verdict is aligned with our commitment to holding accountable human rights violators who lie to enter the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “We are grateful for the remarkable effort and perseverance of our law enforcement partners, who sought justice for the courageous victims, several of whom provided testimony of oppressive violence during the trial.” “The Department of Justice is committed to protecting human rights, and those who commit atrocities will not find safe refuge in the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Thanks to the courage of the victims of these horrible abuses and the persistence of investigators and prosecutors, Mezemr Abebe Belayneh is finally facing justice for the violence he inflicted on young people in Ethiopia 45 years ago.” “Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is committed to identifying and apprehending human rights violators who try to evade justice by seeking shelter in the United States,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard, who oversees HSI operations in Georgia and Alabama. “The United States is not a safe haven for these criminals, and we will never stop looking for them or seeking justice for their victims.” According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: Mezemr Abebe Belayneh unlawfully obtained U.S. citizenship in 2008 by lying about and concealing that he persecuted and committed acts of violence against political opponents during a period known as “the Red Terror” in Ethiopia. The Red Terror was a campaign of brutal violence in the late 1970s in which Ethiopia’s ruling military council and its supporters detained, interrogated, tortured, and executed thousands of perceived political opponents. During the Red Terror, Belayneh served as a civilian interrogator at a makeshift prison known as Menafesha in the city of Dilla, Ethiopia. Belayneh detained teenage victims in a crowded prison for weeks or months, interrogated them about their political beliefs, and directed and participated in severe beatings in which they were whipped or hit with sticks. Belayneh also forced prisoners to physically fight one another for the prison guards’ amusement. Belayneh concealed that conduct when he obtained a visa to enter the United States in 2001 and when he naturalized to become a U.S. citizen in 2008. Mezemr Abebe Belayneh, 67, of Snellville, was convicted by a jury on July 26, 2023. The jury convicted Belayneh of one count of procuring citizenship contrary to law and one count of procuring citizenship to which he was not entitled. He is scheduled to be sentenced on November 1, 2023. The HSI Atlanta Field Office investigated the case, with coordination provided by the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center (HRVWCC). Established in 2009, the HRVWCC furthers the government’s efforts to identify, locate, and prosecute human rights abusers in the United States, including those who are known or suspected to have participated in persecution, war crimes, genocide, torture, extrajudicial killings, female mutilation, and the use or recruitment of child soldiers. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tal C. Chaiken and Trial Attorney Patrick Jasperse of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) are prosecuting the case, with assistance from HRSP Senior Historian Dr. Christopher Hayden. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided significant assistance. Members of the public who have information about former human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact U.S. law enforcement through the HSI tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or its online tip form at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp . For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: General Contractor Agrees to Plead Guilty to Tax Evasion

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – The former owner of a general contracting business based in South Boston and Quincy has been charged and has agreed to plead guilty to concealing business income from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). John Michael Sacco, 52, formerly of Quincy, has agreed to plead guilty to one count of tax evasion. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court. According to the charging documents, Sacco managed construction projects under the name JMS Contracting. It is alleged that, from 2014 through 2021, Sacco received over $9 million from JMS’s customers. Rather than depositing JMS’s gross receipts into business bank accounts, Sacco allegedly cashed most checks from customers, used proceeds to purchase supplies and pay subcontractors in cash, and retained remaining cash to pay personal expenses. Sacco allegedly failed to issue required tax forms to its subcontractors and failed to file required forms with the IRS with respect to amounts that JMS paid to its subcontractors. By not reporting JMS’s actual receipts on tax returns that he filed for certain years and by filing no tax returns in other years, Sacco underreported his personal income tax obligations, causing a loss to the IRS of over $3 million. The charge of tax evasion provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Holcomb of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Physician Convicted of Creating Fake Documents to Help  Immigrants Fraudulently Obtain Citizenship

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – Dr. Muhammad S. Awaisi, 64, of Pontiac, Michigan, was convicted yesterday by a federal jury of five charges relating to a scheme in which he created fraudulent medical documentation in order to assist immigrants obtain United States citizenship, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced. Ison was joined in the announcement by Acting Special Agent in Charge Devin J. Kowalski of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection Director of Field Operations Christopher Perry. Awaisi was convicted after a four-day trial before United States District Judge Victoria A. Roberts. Awaisi was found guilty of one count of conspiring to commit an offense against the United States and to defraud the United States; two counts of attempted procurement of naturalization contrary to law; and two counts of making and using a false document. The evidence demonstrated that Awaisi, a medical doctor, conspired with Firoza Van Horn, a local psychologist, to create fraudulent medical documentation for immigrants seeking U.S. citizenship. The fraudulent medical documentation was designed to be used by citizenship applicants who were seeking medical waivers of the requirement that they demonstrate a knowledge of the English language and pass a citizenship test. As part of the scheme, Awaisi conducted sham medical examinations and falsely purported to diagnose citizenship applicants with a variety of medical conditions. Awaisi also wrote medically unnecessary controlled substance prescriptions, including for an opioid drug, to bolster his fraudulent diagnoses. Van Horn previously pleaded guilty to conspiring with Awaisi and is currently awaiting sentencing. “Our country proudly celebrates those who immigrate to the United States and work hard to meet the citizenship requirements. Dr. Awaisi’s fraud is an affront to all those honest immigrants as well as to his most basic ethical requirements as a physician,” stated U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison. “The defendant’s actions show a blatant disregard for our country’s legal process for citizenship and the oath he made as a physician,” said Devin J. Kowalski, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Division. “The alleged fraud, scheming, and conspiracy in this case is overwhelming. Unraveling the complexities could not have been possible without the assistance of our partners at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and U.S. Customs and Border Protection and we would like to thank them for their assistance in our pursuit of justice.” “The recent conviction of Dr. Awaisi underscores the gravity of fraudulent activities that undermine the principles upon which U.S. citizenship is granted. Our dedication to maintaining the sanctity of the process remains unwavering, as we continue to ensure that those who earn the privilege of U.S. citizenship do so through lawful and just means," stated U.S. Customs and Border Protection Director of Field Operations Christopher Perry. Awaisi faces a maximum five-year term of imprisonment for conspiring to commit an offense against the United States and defraud the United States; up to 10 years’ imprisonment for each count of attempted procurement of naturalization contrary to law; and up to five years’ imprisonment for each count of making and using a false document. Sentencing is scheduled for December 4, 2023. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Customs and Border Protection, and United States Citizenship and Immigration Services—Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jerome F. Gorgon and Andrew J. Yahkind.


title: Holyoke Man Sentenced for False Statements Regarding Straw Firearms Purchases

body_text: BOSTON – A Holyoke man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Springfield in connection with straw purchases of firearms. Tyler A. Augusto, 23, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to two years of probation, with the first four months of the sentence to be served in home confinement. In February 2023, Augusto pleaded guilty to one count of false statements to acquire firearms from a licensed dealer; one count of false statements with respect to information required to be kept in the records of a licensed firearms dealer; and one count of false statements. Between October 2020 and February 2022, Augusto conducted numerous purchases of firearms from three different federally firearms licensees on behalf of his father, who was not licensed to possess firearms. In February 2022, Augusto falsely told law enforcement that he had not purchased any firearms for his father and that his father had not asked Augusto to purchase any firearms. As part of his plea agreement, Augusto will forfeit a Sig Sauer Model P365 9mm caliber semi-automatic pistol; a Colt Model SP1 .223 caliber semi-automatic rifle; a Taurus Model CT9-G2 9mm caliber semi-automatic rifle; a Glock model 17 frame; an IMI Uzi model A 9mm semi-automatic rifle; an FN model FS2000 5.56x45mm caliber semi-automatic rifle; a FN model SCAR 16S 5.56x45mm caliber semi-automatic rifle; a Sig Sauer model SIG 556 SCM 5.56x45mm caliber semi-automatic rifle; and a Glock model 21 .45 caliber ACP semi-automatic pistol. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Holyoke Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of the Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.


title: Goffstown Man Sentenced to 55 Months in Prison  For Drug Trafficking

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Goffstown man was sentenced in federal court for drug trafficking in New Hampshire, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Zachary Janas, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Joesph N. Laplante to 55 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On April 17, 2023, Janas plead guilty to distribution of and unlawful possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl. “Individuals trafficking in fentanyl, whether acting alone or as a participant in an organized drug trafficking organization, will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said U.S. Attorney Young. “Drug traffickers, like the defendant, import and distribute fentanyl in New Hampshire at an alarming rate. As evident by the work done in this case, our law enforcement partners will deploy the necessary assets to investigate and bring to justice those who sell drugs knowing full well the potentially deadly consequences of their actions.” “Zachary Janas deserves the prison sentence he received today for distributing a significant amount of fentanyl and possessing multiple firearms in his home in Goffstown,” said Christopher DiMenna, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Fentanyl is an insidious drug that has destroyed countless lives in New Hampshire, and the FBI’s Major Offender Task Force will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to remove from our streets the dangerous criminals who peddle this poison." On September 21, 2021, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents arranged the purchase of approximately one-half kilogram of fentanyl from Janas at his Goffstown residence. On September 24, 2021, FBI agents executed a search warrant at Janas’ residence and seized an additional one-half kilogram of fentanyl packaged for distribution, approximately $7,000 cash, multiple firearms, and ammunition. The FBI’s Major Offender Task Force, New Hampshire State Police’s Narcotics Investigations Unit and the Goffstown Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer C. Davis is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Latin Kings Member Sentenced for Racketeering Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – A former member of the New Bedford Chapter of the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (Latin Kings) was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for racketeering. Josue Carrasquillo, a/k/a “King Playboy,” 28, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel to time served (approximately five months in prison) and three years of supervised release. In November 2020, Carrasquillo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy. The Latin Kings are a violent criminal enterprise comprised of thousands of members across the United States. The Latin Kings adhere to a national manifesto, employ an internal judiciary and use a sophisticated system of communication to maintain the hierarchy of the organization. As alleged in court documents, the gang uses drug distribution to generate revenue, and engages in violence against witnesses and rival gangs to further its influence and to protect its turf. Carrasquillo participated in the violent acts of the gang and distributing controlled substances on behalf of the gang. In December 2019, a federal grand jury returned an indictment alleging racketeering conspiracy, drug conspiracy and firearms charges against 62 leaders, members and associates of the Latin Kings. Carrasquillo is the 60th and final defendant to be sentenced in this case. The two remaining defendants charged in the indictment remain fugitives. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts; Christopher DiMenna, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Carol Mici, Commissioner, Massachusetts Department of Correction; and New Bedford Police Chief Paul Oliveira made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was also provided by the Bristol and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The two remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Level 3 Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to Over 17 Years in Prison for Sexually Exploiting 11-Year-Old Via Snapchat

body_text: BOSTON – A Lowell man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for extorting a minor to send him sexually explicit photos over Snapchat. Chayanne Nieves, 25, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 210 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release. In June 2022, Nieves pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography. During a period of four days in November and December 2020, Nieves communicated on Snapchat with an 11-year-old child in Vermont. During those communications, Nieves obtained nude photographs from the victim and then extorted the victim to engage in graphic video chats with him while he masturbated, threatening to post her photographs if she did not comply. The victim’s mother intervened and reported the defendant to local police. During a subsequent search of Nieves’s residence in Lowell, Nieves confirmed that the Snapchat account used to communicate with the child was his. Nieves is a Level 3 registered sex offender based on a 2018 Middlesex Superior Court conviction for indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, for which he was on probation when he committed the offense charged in the federal indictment. “Mr. Nieves is a danger to our communities. While already on probation for indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, he targeted and exploited an innocent child for his own sexual gratification. This significant sentence ensures that Mr. Nieves is removed from our communities and unable to cause any more harm for the foreseeable future,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “The safety of the public, especially our children, is of the utmost importance to this office. We will continue to do all that we can to hold predators like Mr. Nieves responsible and protect our communities from dangers both off- and on-line.” “Nieves is a convicted sex offender who used social media to continue to harm children, even while on probation. This significant sentence ensures he will be off the streets and unable to prey on children,” said Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “Sextortion, typically a cyber-enabled crime, causes significant harm. HSI continues to work with our partners around the country and the world to track down predators like Nieves. HSI is committed to ensuring that affected individuals and families know that there is help and a way forward after such a troubling event.” Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; HSI Acting SAC Krol; and Major Dan Trudeau, Commander of the Vermont State Police’s Criminal Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Lowell Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles Dell’Anno and Anne Paruti of the Major Crimes Unit 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.


title: St. Louis Area Doctor, Office Manager Accused of Health Care Fraud

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A doctor who owns multiple urgent care centers in the St. Louis, Missouri area was arrested Thursday on an indictment accusing him and his office manager of committing health care fraud. Dr. Sonny Saggar, 55, and Renita Barringer, 50, were each indicted Wednesday on one count of conspiracy and eight counts of making false statements related to a health care matter. They were arrested, appeared in court and pleaded not guilty to the charges Thursday. The indictment says Dr. Saggar has owned and operated health care-related businesses, including Downtown Urgent Care LLC, Creve Coeur Urgent Care LLC, and, since about September 2017, St. Louis General Hospital (SLGH). SLGH is an urgent care and primary care clinic with two locations: 916 Olive Street in St. Louis and 13035 Olive Boulevard in unincorporated St. Louis County near Creve Coeur. Barringer was the office manager of SLGH and was later added to the board of directors. The indictment says Dr. Saggar, Barringer and others conspired to make false statements to Medicare and Medicaid by billing for services performed by multiple assistant physicians (APs) as if Dr. Saggar had provided those services, even if he was out of town or abroad. In order to legally provide medical services in Missouri, assistant physicians must be supervised by a physician under a "collaborative practice arrangement" or "CPA" that restricts the AP's ability to provide medical services and limits their practice areas to medically underserved rural or urban areas. Dr. Saggar promoted SLGH as a "stepping stone" for medical school graduates who had been unable to secure a residency and were ineligible to obtain a standard license to practice medicine. At least 39 APs have worked at SLGH since January 2018, the indictment says. Dr. Saggar and Barringer recruited physicians to sign up to supervise the APs, falsely telling them that they merely needed to sign blank, undated CPA Verification Forms to fulfill their roles, the indictment says. The APs often did not receive any training from their supervising physicians, who were not continuously present despite a requirement mandating 120 hours of clinic time together before the APs may practice without the presence of a physician, the indictment says. It also says Dr. Saggar and Barringer discouraged APs from seeking training and supervision from their purported assigned collaborating physicians. The Creve Coeur location was not a medically underserved rural or urban area, making it ineligible for a CPA, the indictment says. In January of 2022, Dr. Saggar hired a co-conspirator who had been indicted in another case to be the sole collaborating physician at the Creve Coeur location but did not disclose to Medicaid that the co-conspirator was performing services there, the indictment says. The conspiracy charge and the false statements charge are each punishable by up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the FBI and the Missouri Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit are investigating this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Sestric is prosecuting the case.


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Violating Controlled Substances Act

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

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – MARVIN SIMS , age 34, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Eldon E. Fallon on one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, in violation of the Federal Controlled Substances Act, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. SMIS had previously admitted to being caught dealing drugs during a Title III wire intercept. He admitted that the intercepted calls showed his participation in a conspiracy to distribute heroin. Judge Fallon sentenced SIMS to serve 110 months in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons, to be followed by four years of supervised release after his release from imprisonment. Judge Fallon also ordered SIMS to pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. This case was investigated by the New Orleans Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney David Haller of the Violent Crime Unit.


title: U.S. Attorney Kevin Ritz Delivers Remarks for DOJ Pattern or Practice Investigation of the City of Memphis and the Memphis Police Department

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Remarks as Delivered Good morning. I want to thank Assistant Attorney General Clarke for coming here to Memphis to continue what I believe is a crucial, community-wide conversation about civil rights in our city. This morning, Assistant Attorney General Clarke and I met with the Mayor, the Chief of Police, and other City of Memphis officials to discuss what this pattern or practice investigation would entail. I want to say that our office will be a partner with the Civil Rights Division during this investigation. As we proceed, we are committed to engaging in a conversation with people across the entire city to answer questions and let the community know what they can expect. This includes residents, community groups, police officers, city officials, and faith and civil rights leaders. Here’s the thing: public safety requires public trust in law enforcement. The police officers who risk their lives every day in the line of duty need the public to trust them. Community trust makes policing more effective and less dangerous for both officers and the people they protect. To build and maintain that trust, law enforcement must conduct themselves constitutionally and lawfully. Citizens, including the people of this great city, deserve constitutional and lawful policing. In my 18 years as a federal prosecutor here in Memphis, I’ve had the opportunity to work with public servants and community leaders who are dedicated to addressing the root causes of crime in our city – people who understand that as government, our first responsibility is to protect our citizens. That means to protect them from crime, and it also means to protect their civil rights. I want to be clear: while the pattern or practice investigation is underway, you can still expect our team of federal prosecutors to continue to take on tough cases – whether those involve violent crime, drug trafficking, illegal guns, national security, hate crimes, or holding people in authority accountable. That work will continue, and we will continue to partner with law enforcement agencies at the federal, state, and local level to vigorously enforce the criminal laws. That’s a core piece of the Department’s mission. It is also a core piece of the Department’s mission to ensure that the constitutional and federal statutory rights of all people are protected. Pattern or practice investigations help us fulfill that responsibility. This civil pattern or practice investigation is and will remain separate from our office’s criminal investigations and prosecutions. It is also separate from the technical assistance being provided by the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, or COPS Office. Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta announced in March that the COPS Office, through its Collaborative Reform Initiative Technical Assistance Center, would be providing technical assistance related to MPD’s use of force and de-escalation practices, as well as its use of specialized units. That work will continue in the immediate term while the separate pattern or practice investigation is ongoing. As I’ve said often, in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, my colleagues and I uphold the rule of law, protect civil rights, and keep Americans safe. That work is predicated on the principle that there is only one rule of law. There can’t be one rule of law for the powerful and another for the powerless. There can’t be one rule of law for the rich and another for the poor. And there can’t be one rule of law for people who look like me and another for people of color. And as much as I believe most of our partners in law enforcement work diligently and bravely under that same guiding principle, we as a community cannot afford to be silent if there are those who aren’t upholding that standard. And so, I welcome this opportunity to let the facts lead in what I know will be an ongoing and important discussion about civil rights in our city. Together we can build a stronger Memphis—a Memphis that protects the safety and civil rights of all.


title: Preci Manufacturing to Pay $150,000 to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Preci Manufacturing Inc. (Preci) has agreed to pay $150,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by selling parts to the United States military that Preci failed to test, despite clear contract testing requirements meant to ensure the strength and durability of the parts. Preci, located in Winooski, Vermont, manufactures nuts, bolts, and other fasteners, which it supplies to the federal government. The fasteners provided by Preci are used in military equipment, including aircraft, and thus require precise manufacturing protocols and careful post-production testing. The United States’ investigation uncovered evidence that Preci repeatedly flouted safety requirements, with employees directed to skip mandatory testing. The government alleges that these deceptive acts violated the False Claims Act, a civil fraud statute that prohibits the knowing submission of false claims to the government. “Preci’s sales to the United States of parts that it chose not to test are reprehensible, with Preci appearing to have prioritized its own profits over the safety of the products it provided to the military,” said United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest. “Our office takes seriously allegations related to cutting corners and evading regulations and will continue to pursue companies that betray the trust of the government and the public.” Specifically, between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2019, Preci sold fasteners to the federal government, including through contracts that imposed strict testing requirements on Preci but did not require government inspection prior to delivery. As set forth in the settlement agreement, Preci admits that, for some of the parts it sold to the government under these contracts, it failed to perform required testing, including but not limited to stress durability testing, fatigue testing, double shear testing, and tensile testing. Preci admits that it then submitted claims for payment as if it had met all contract specifications, when in fact the company knowingly provided untested parts to the government. “The integrity of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) supply chain is of vital importance to the DoD Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS),” stated Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty, DCIS Northeast Field Office. “The DoD expects its contractors to adhere to contract requirements and provide quality products to the U.S. military. The DCIS will continue to work with its law enforcement partners and the Department of Justice to hold DoD contractors accountable for circumventing testing protocols and putting America's servicemembers at risk.” To resolve the claims against it, Preci has agreed to pay to the United States a total of $150,000. “The Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) has strong partnerships with other federal and state law enforcement agencies focused on investigative efforts to collectively identify, disrupt, deter, and dismantle unlawful activity,” said Supervisory Special Agent Michael D. Conner, CID, Northeast Fraud Resident Agency. “We are thankful for the collaborative efforts from all agencies involved, and resolutions such as this one show our resolve in bringing to justice those who would seek to defraud the U.S. Government and put the safety of our Soldiers at risk” Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Almquist Lively handled this matter for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont. Investigative support was provided by the DoD DCIS and the Department of the Army CID. Attorneys Zachary M. Dayno and Matthew B. Byrne of Gravel & Shea PC represented Preci. The settlement agreement between the United States and Preci is available at this link: Preci Signed Settlement Agreement .


title: Grand jury indicts Central Ohio man for threatening to blow up reproductive health clinic

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A federal grand jury has indicted a Reynoldsburg man for threatening a reproductive health services facility. Court documents allege that Mohamed Farah Waes, 33, made telephone threats to a clinic operated by Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio. He was indicted on July 11 and arrested today. According to the indictment, on July 5, 2022, Waes allegedly called the clinic and threatened to burn down the facility and everyone inside it. The indictment charges Waes with violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, which makes it a federal crime to threaten the use of force to intimidate anyone receiving or providing reproductive health services. He is also charged with making threatening statements through interstate communications, a crime punishable by up to five years in prison, and threatening to unlawfully damage and destroy a building by means of fire and explosive, which is a federal crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison. “Threatening the life of anyone who seeks any type of health service is a heinous act that is unacceptable in a civilized society,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth Parker. “People must handle their disagreements with services provided by clinics in a more civil way than using the threat of force or any kind of intimidation.” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio, and FBI Special Agent in Charge J. William Rivers for the Cincinnati Field Office announced the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Rausch for the Southern District of Ohio and Trial Attorney Daniel Grunert of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case. An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. # # #


title: Jury Convicts St. Augustine Addiction Medicine Doctor On 19 Counts Of Drug Trafficking And Obstruction Of Justice

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Scott Andrew Hollington (58, St. Augustine) guilty of 14 counts of unlawfully distributing and dispensing controlled substances not for a legitimate medical purpose in the usual course of professional practice, and 5 counts of obstructing justice. Hollington faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each of the drug trafficking offenses, and up to 10 years for the obstruction charges. His sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled. Hollington was charged in a superseding indictment on March 23, 2023. According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) first learned of Hollington after receiving a tip from the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office that Hollington was exchanging narcotic prescriptions for sexual favors. Following additional evidence of Hollington’s illegal prescribing practices, the DEA deployed five undercover agents to Hollington’s addiction clinic, from February 2022 to July 2022, with the purpose of obtaining prescriptions without a legitimate medical need. Through their investigation, the agents managed to secure a total of 17 prescriptions of schedule II, III, and IV controlled substances, including amphetamines (Adderall), benzodiazepines (Valium and Xanax), and buprenorphine (Suboxone), during the five visits. Throughout the trial, the evidence showed that Hollington asked the agents about their drug preferences, offered prescriptions without proper medical justification, and admitted that he did not care about urine drug screening results. Physical examinations, vital checks, and proper documentation were omitted during most medical encounters with the undercover agents. Further evidence revealed that Hollington altered medical notes in each of the undercover agents’ medical files following his indictment, leading to the obstruction convictions. Testimony during the trial included statements from three female victims who revealed that Hollington exchanged, coerced, or solicited sexual favors for prescriptions. One victim described him as a “monster” who took advantage of her vulnerability while seeking help for addiction. A fourth victim recounted Hollington asking if she needed a “sugar daddy” and engaging in conversation of a sexual nature instead of discussing her medical history and need for medication. This case was jointly investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Ormond Beach Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and State Attorney’s Office, 7th Judicial Circuit. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kirwinn Mike and Ashley Washington. The forfeiture of assets is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran.


title: Monmouth County Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Producing Child Pornography

body_text: TRENTON, N.J. – A Monmouth County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 240 months in prison for producing multiple videos depicting him sexually assaulting a minor, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Christian Importuna, 27, of Englishtown, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan to one count of an indictment charging him with production of child pornography. Judge Sheridan imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: In March 2020, Importuna produced at least two videos that showed him sexually assaulting a pre-pubescent victim. The videos came to the attention of law enforcement on March 24, 2020, when Importuna attempted to trade images of child pornography with an undercover law enforcement official on an internet-based application. Law enforcement officials initially linked the videos to Importuna through business records indicating that they were sent from his Englishtown residence. The investigation linked Importuna to the production of the images through physical identifiers that were visible in the subject videos. In addition to the prison term, Judge Sheridan sentenced Importuna to lifetime supervised release and ordered him to pay $28,000 in restitution. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents the FBI Newark Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. The government is represented by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn Barnes, Chief of the OCDETF/Narcotics Unit in Newark.


title: Former USPS Employee Sentenced for Theft of Mail

component: Office of the Inspector General

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – LEON TINSON , age 59, of New Orleans, Louisiana was sentenced on July 19, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance to two years of probation and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee for theft of mail, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crimes Unit handled the prosecution.


title: Sex Offender Who Possessed Millions of Child Sex Abuse Images and Videos Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that RICHARD E. SMITH, 67, of Southington, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to 144 months of imprisonment, followed by 15 years of supervised release, for possessing millions of child sex abuse images and videos. According to court documents and statements made in court, Smith’s criminal history includes convictions related to his sexual assault of boys in 1990 and 1998. On October 1, 2020, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents conducted a court-authorized search of Smith’s Southington residence. At the time of the search, Smith’s computer was running and connected to a website on the dark web dedicated to child pornography, and one of Smith’s four computer monitors displayed a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet containing numerous child pornography filenames and internet hyperlinks. Investigators seized Smith’s computer and electronic devices. Forensic analysis of the seized devices revealed millions of images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, including infants and toddlers. Smith has been detained since his arrest on October 1, 2020. On November 28, 2022, he pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography. This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Southington Police Department, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick J. Doherty and Nancy V. Gifford through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com .


title: Parker Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Voluntary Manslaughter

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Anthony William Delgado, 28, of Parker, Arizona, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Steven P. Logan to 144 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Delgado pleaded guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter. On October 24, 2021, Delgado struck the victim multiple times in the head and face with a sledgehammer, causing the victim to sustain fatal injuries. The victim died one week later. Delgado is an enrolled member of the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) and the offense occurred on the CRIT Reservation. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the CRIT Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christina J. Reid-Moore and LeighAnn M. Thomas, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-22-00427-PHX-SPL RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-112_Delgado # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Man Accused of Murder-For-Hire in 2011 St. Louis County Death

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man was indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Wednesday in connection with a 2011 St. Louis County, Missouri homicide. Michael Grady, 68, was indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, murder-for-hire and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Wednesday’s superseding indictment adds Grady to a 2021 indictment against Victoria Rena Williams, 65, that is still pending. Williams has pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and murder-for-hire. The indictment accuses Williams of enlisting Grady’s help to find someone to murder Charles Harris III, who was fatally shot on Oct. 5, 2011. Williams and Harris were in a romantic relationship. On Aug. 27, 2010, Williams started the application process for a $250,000 life insurance police for Harris, specifically asking if the policy would provide coverage if Harris was robbed and killed, the indictment says. Before and after she contacted the insurance company, she regularly was in phone contact with Grady, the indictment says. The indictment says Williams and Grady discussed how to introduce the killers to Harris, later arranging for potential clients to meet Harris at his home on Oct. 5, 2011. Harris sold suits out of his home to people he knew or through trusted referrals. After Harris’ death, Williams contacted the life insurance company to collect the proceeds of the insurance policy with Grady’s help, the indictment says. After Williams received $224,444 on Feb. 28, 2014, she obtained a cashier’s check for $110,000 payable to Grady’s wife that was primarily used for Grady’s benefit, the indictment says. Williams received $175,762 from another insurance policy on April 25, 2014. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. The St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI are investigating the case.


title: Farley Man Sentenced for Sexually Assaulting Minor Victim to Produce, Distribute Child Pornography

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Farley, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for sexually assaulting a minor child victim to produce child pornography and distribute it to others through the Kik application. Andrew J. McCardie, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 40 years in federal prison without parole. McCardie will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life. On Feb. 23, 2023, McCardie pleaded guilty to two counts of producing child pornography and one count of distributing child pornography. McCardie communicated with individuals through the Kik application beginning in January 2022, using a screen name to indicate he was willing and able to produce child pornography and distribute to other persons. McCardie produced 19 images and videos of child pornography involving a minor child victim on Feb. 11 and 12, 2022. Most of these were created live, meaning he was recording himself actively sexually abusing the child victim while communicating with other persons over Kik, and sending those images and videos to them during the abuse. On March 5, 2022, McCardie created another live video during his sexual abuse of the child victim. McCardie didn’t know he was communicating with an undercover law enforcement officer through Kik. McCardie told the undercover officer he had been “doing these requests on Kik for a couple years now” and discussed how to sexually abuse a child. During this conversation, McCardie sent the undercover officer a screenshot of a chat he was having with the Kik user he produced the video for, in order to prove he had created the video live. On March 6, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at McCardie’s residence. The entry team attempted to take control of McCardie near the entrance of the residence but he resisted, initially holding a firearm as officers entered. McCardie was brought out into the yard, where he continued to resist before being handcuffed and placed under arrest. McCardie attempted to hide his iPhone in the bedroom closet, but officers found the phone and seized it in order to conduct a forensic investigation. McCardie’s Kik account included 218 images and videos of child pornography. McCardie sent 58 separate videos and images of child pornography to other Kik users, and had received more than 200 images and videos of child pornography from other Kik users between Jan. 2 and March 7, 2022. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth W. Borgnino. It was investigated by the FBI. Project Safe Childhood 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 . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."


title: Pharmacy Owner Convicted of Payment of Illegal Kickbacks and Money Laundering

body_text: A federal jury in the Northern District of Texas convicted the owner of several compounding pharmacies today for paying illegal marketing kickbacks involving TRICARE, a federal program that provides health insurance benefits to active duty and retired service members and their families. He was also convicted of a conspiracy to launder the proceeds of the unlawful activity. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Richard Hall, 53, of Fort Worth, Texas, worked with others to create and market expensive compounded medications, which are medications that are intended to be custom-tailored to individual patient needs. Hall and others paid marketers, who recruited area doctors to write prescriptions for these expensive compounded medications, including by creating so-called “investment opportunities” so that doctors who wrote prescriptions to the pharmacy could profit from the pharmacy operations. Hall paid illegal kickbacks to these marketers and engaged in a conspiracy to launder the unlawful proceeds. The jury convicted Hall of four counts of paying and receiving unlawful kickbacks, and one count of money laundering. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on each kickback count, and 10 years in prison on the money laundering count. A sentencing date has not yet been set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Special Agent in Charge Michael Mentavlos of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Special Agent in Charge Jason Meadows of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Dallas Regional Office, Special Agent in Charge Chad B. Yarbrough of the FBI Dallas Regional Office, Special Agent in Charge Steven Grell of the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG) Central Regional Office, and Special Agent in Charge Kris Raper of the Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG) South Central Field Office made the announcement. The DCIS, HHS-OIG, FBI, DOL-OIG, and VA-OIG investigated the case. Assistant Chiefs Kate Payerle and Brynn Schiess and Trial Attorneys Lee Michael Hirsch and Jacqueline DerOvanesian of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, comprised of 15 strike forces operating in 25 federal districts, has charged more than 5,000 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $24 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit .


title: Smithfield Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal Prison after Pointing a Gun at a Police Officer

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – Louis Melvin Hill, 55, of Smithfield was sentenced today to 108 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court records and evidence presented in court, on the evening of April 10, 2022, a Johnston County Sheriff’s Deputy responded to a shots fired call on Bakers Chapel Road in Smithfield, NC. Once on scene, the deputy approached Louis Melvin Hill, who was sitting in a parked truck. During the ensuing encounter, Hill retrieved a loaded, .22 caliber revolver and pointed it at the deputy. The deputy grabbed the firearm and pulled it away from Hill. Hill ignored commands to exit the truck and instead drove away from the deputy at a high rate of speed, instigating a pursuit. Eventually Hill stopped the truck and ran on foot but was located with the assistance of a law enforcement K-9 officer. Hill is a convicted felon and may not lawfully possess any firearm. Hill was named in a single-count indictment on July 21, 2022, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm. He pleaded guilty on May 11, 2023. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Johnston County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Former Special Assistant United States Attorney, M. Yasir Sadat, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys, Sarah E. Nokes and Jaren Kelly prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on our website . Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-CR-176-D.


title: Kenner Man Indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute and Receipt of Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – NOAH TORRES (“TORRES”) , age 46, of Kenner, Louisiana was arrested and indicted on Friday, July 21, 2023, with one count of Conspiracy to Distribute Materials Involving the Sexual Abuse of Minors and one count of Receipt Materials Involving the Sexual Abuse of Minors, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252(a)(2) and (b)(1), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. If convicted, TORRES faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five (5) years and a maximum sentence of twenty (20) years imprisonment, and/or a fine of up to $250,000.00, or the greater of twice the gross gain to the defendant or twice the gross loss to any person of the offense under Title 18, United States Code, Section 3571 per count. In addition, TORRES faces a term of supervised release of no less than five (5) years and up to life after his release from prison as well as payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee per count. According to the indictment filed in federal court, TORRES administered a chat group with approximately 195 users. TORRES’s chat group shared and distributed images and videos of child sexual abuse material. On Monday, July 24, 2023, TORRES was arrested at his Kenner residence by Special Agents with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations. U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, including the Portland, Oregon and New Orleans, Louisiana offices; the Kenner Police Department; and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and Chief of Financial Crimes Unit.