title: Yakima Resident Sentenced to 15 Months in Federal Prison for COVID-19 Relief Fraud

body_text: Yakima, Washington – Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that Karla Padilla, age 49, of Yakima, Washington, was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison for fraudulently obtaining more than $290,000 in COVID-19 relief funds. United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke announced the sentence, the most recent obtained by the COVID-19 Relief Fraud Strike Force Strike Force. On March 27, 2020, the President signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. The CARES Act provided a number of programs through which eligible small businesses could request and obtain relief funding intended to mitigate the economic impacts of the pandemic for small and local businesses. One such program, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), provided government-backed funding to small businesses which could be forgiven so long as the proceeds were used for payroll and other eligible expenses. Another program, the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, provided low interest loans that could be deferred until the conclusion of the pandemic to provide “bridge” funding for small businesses to maintain their operations during shutdowns and other economic circumstances caused by the pandemic. The PPP and EIDL programs have provided billions of dollars in aid, the vast majority of which have not been paid back, including hundreds of millions of dollars disbursed within Eastern Washington. “COVID-19 relief programs were designed to lift up our community during crisis, and due to the number of people and businesses that requested funding, some deserving small businesses were not able to obtain funding to keep their businesses in operation,” said U.S. Attorney Waldref. “We created the Eastern Washington COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force because combatting pandemic-related fraud and holding those accountable who abused these programs is critical to the strength and safety of our community in Eastern Washington. The Strike Force works to ensure that limited resources are used to protect our local small businesses and the critical jobs and services that they provide for the community. Today’s sentence represents the most significant period of custody imposed in our district for pandemic-related fraud. I am especially grateful to Special Assistant United States Attorney Frieda K. Zimmerman, as well as Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Fruchter, Tyler Tornabene, and Brian Donovan for their work ensuring fraudsters are held accountable for their crimes.” In February 2022, U.S. Attorney Waldref and the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) began working with federal law enforcement agencies to create and launch a COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force that would leverage partnerships between different agencies to aggressively investigate and prosecute fraud against COVID-19 relief programs in Eastern Washington. The Strike Force consists of agency representatives from the USAO, Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Inspector General (OIG), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Department of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs OIG, General Services Administration OIG, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) OIG, Internal Revenue Service, Department of Energy OIG, and others. According to court documents and information disclosed during court proceedings, Padilla fraudulently obtained hundreds of thousands of dollars in PPP and EIDL funding for her purported collectible car business, Queen B Collectibles, and for other purported businesses owned by Padilla. As Padilla admitted during court proceedings and in her plea agreement, Queen B Collectibles was not an active business as of February 2020, and therefore was not eligible for any PPP or EIDL funding. As part of her sentence, Padilla will serve 15 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release. The court also sentenced Padilla to pay restitution of $302,145.40, the amount of loss to the United States as the result of the fraud, and an additional fine of $25,000 dollars. Finally, in an addendum to the plea agreement, Padilla agreed to forfeit the proceeds from the sale of a parcel of real property, as the property was derived from proceeds from the fraud. “This sentence demonstrates that falsifying information to gain access to taxpayer dollars will not be overlooked and wrongdoers will be brought to justice,” said SBA OIG’s Western Region Special Agent in Charge Weston King. “I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and pursuit of justice. “I commend the stellar investigative work on these cases performed by the Strike Force and especially in this case by SBA OIG, TIGTA, and FBI” said U.S. Attorney Waldref. “We will continue to work together with our law enforcement partners to vigorously prosecute those who abuse and misuse COVID-19 relief funding, and to strengthen our communities by protecting our small and local businesses.” This case was investigated by the Eastern District of Washington COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force and by the SBA OIG, TIGTA, and FBI. Special Assistant United States Attorney Frieda K. Zimmerman and Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Fruchter , Tyler Tornabene , and Brian M. Donovan prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States. Case No. 1:22-CR-2059-MKD


title: Spokane Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Distributor Sentenced to 235 Months in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: SPOKANE, WASHINGTON – Yesterday, May 17, 2023, U.S. District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Jerami W. Jones, 43, of Spokane, Washington, to 235 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and for the illegal possession of multiple firearms. District Judge Rice also ordered Jones to serve five years on federal supervision after he is released from prison. According to court documents, law enforcement officers assigned to the Federal Bureau of Investigation Spokane Regional Safe Streets Task Force obtained a search warrant to search property connected with Jones. At the time of the search, Jones was serving a term of community custody in Washington state court. Around this time, Jones’s supervising probation officer made arrangements to meet with Jones. Upon Jones’s arrival, members of the Safe Streets Task Force detained Jones and conducted a search of his person and vehicle. While searching Jones’s vehicle, the law enforcement team located approximately 2,200 fentanyl-laced pills and four ounces of heroin. At the same time as the search of Jones’s person, other law enforcement officers executed a search warrant of Jones’s residence and separate trailer. There, law enforcement located approximately two pounds of methamphetamine, 7,000 fentanyl pills, and eight firearms. Three of the firearms had previously been reported as stolen. Law enforcement officers also recovered more than $21,000 in U.S. currency. United States Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref, the chief law enforcement officer for the Eastern District of Washington, stated, “Today’s significant sentence demonstrates the breadth and seriousness of Mr. Jones’s drug trafficking activities. I’m grateful for our incredible law enforcement team, who devote their lives to protecting our community. I commend our Safe Streets Task Force whose work combatting organized crime and removing illegal drugs and stolen firearms strengthens our communities.” “Traffickers like Mr. Jones bring drugs into our towns and cities with no regard to the damage they do to the citizens who live there.” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “These are the same citizens the FBI and our partners are sworn to protect. Mr. Jones’s nearly twenty-year sentence demonstrates the serious consequences of distributing these poisons into our communities and the repercussions of his continued criminal activity while serving on state probation.” 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 Spokane Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Patrick J. Cashman and Stephanie Van Marter, Assistant United States Attorneys for the Eastern District of Washington. 2:21-cr-00148-TOR


title: Livingston County Man Sentenced in Federal Court to 11 years and 8 months for Methamphetamine Distribution

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Paducah, KY – A Livingston County Kentucky man was sentenced yesterday for methamphetamine distribution. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division made the announcement. According to court documents, Donald K. Duncan, 52, was sentenced to 11 years and 8 months in federal prison, followed by a 5-year term of supervised release, for possessing with the intent to distribute more than 500 grams of a methamphetamine mixture. There is no parole in the federal system. The case was investigated by the DEA Paducah Post of Duty with assistance from the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office and the Kentucky State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case. ###


title: St. Charles County Business Owner Sentenced to Prison for Failing to Pay $3.4 Million in Taxes

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS –A business owner from St. Charles County, Missouri on Thursday was sentenced Tuesday to 21 months in federal prison for using employees’ tax money for college tuition and mortgage payments on two houses. U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark also ordered Jeffrey M. Bauza, 55, of Weldon Spring to pay back $1.4 million that he still owes in taxes. Bauza owned the truck driving schools CDL Training Service & Consulting and CDL Training Services of Missouri at the time of the crime. Bauza was required by law to withhold income, Social Security and Medicare taxes from employee wages before turning them over to the Internal Revenue Service and file quarterly employment tax returns. He willfully failed to do so from 2012-2019. Instead, he used part of the $2.3 million in income, Social Security and Medicare taxes that he’d withheld from his employees’ paychecks for college tuition for one of his children and for mortgage payments on his home as well as a vacation home in Florida. He also failed to pay $1 million in employer contributions to the IRS. “Mr. Bauza was aware of his payroll tax obligations. But instead of paying the funds he withheld from employee paychecks to the IRS, he used them to pay for his primary residence, a vacation home in Florida, a luxury vehicle, and private university tuition”, said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge, Thomas F. Murdock. “Cases such as this harm innocent taxpayers and CI’s special agents will aggressively pursue these criminals to detect and stop this type of fraud.” Bauza pleaded guilty in November to one count of willful failure to collect or pay tax. IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwendolyn Carroll is prosecuting the case.


title: Former Corrections Officer Sentenced to 12 Months for Bribery and Contraband Scheme

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: NEW BERN, N.C. – Kamel Smallwood, 28, of Greenville, was recently sentenced to 12 months in prison for accepting a bribe as a public official and aiding and abetting. Smallwood was one of four former employees of Rivers Federal Correctional Institution (Rivers CI), in Winton, to be charged in a five-count indictment on March 2, 2022. She pled guilty to the charge on July 6, 2022. “Public corruption undermines the rule of law and, when it arises in our prisons, endangers corrections officers, staff, and the public,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Smallwood and Sykes put their greed for short term profits ahead of their oath to the public. We are partnering with the Department of Justice’s Office of Inspector General to investigate and prosecute corrupt correction officers like these who smuggle contraband into our federal prisons.” “Smallwood’s actions undermined the safety and security of the Rivers Federal Correctional Institution. The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General is committed to rooting out these kinds of bribery schemes and bringing the perpetrators to justice,” said Russell W. Cunningham Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Washington Field Office. According to court records and statements made during hearings, in 2019, a former correctional officer at Rivers CI provided the names of several other Rivers CI employees that she believed were bringing contraband into the prison. Based on that information, investigators obtained records from CashApp, a mobile application, for individuals including Smallwood and co-defendant Twonisha Sykes. These showed that between March 2 and March 12, 2019, Smallwood had four transactions or attempted transactions with user “Rico,” an account later confirmed to belong to Rivers CI inmate Francois Toure. Law enforcement identified a variety of other transactions in which inmates or friends, or family of inmates transferred money to Smallwood. In total, these transactions accounted for well over $10,000. Records showed that Sykes also received numerous CashApp payments from inmate Toure. In one instance, 10 minutes after Sykes received a $1,200 payment from Toure, she paid the same amount to Smallwood. Sykes admitted during a December 2019 interview that she introduced Smallwood to inmate Toure. Toure then began paying Smallwood to smuggle cigarettes into the prison. Sykes estimated that Smallwood brought in cigarettes four times, each time plastic wrapped to her body. Sykes admitted that inmate Toure gave her the money to pay Smallwood for the contraband because Smallwood at first preferred not to deal directly with Toure. In March 2020, agents interviewed Francois Toure. He confirmed that he gave Sykes money to transfer to Smallwood in payment for Smallwood bringing in cigarettes. He estimated that Smallwood brought in cigarettes on two occasions, with two or three cartons each time. He said that they arranged for Smallwood to make drops in bathrooms. He further stated that Smallwood began dealing with another inmate once Toure was sent to the special housing unit for disciplinary reasons. CashApp records for Smallwood included a memo that bore the second inmate’s name. Co-defendant Sykes was sentenced on March 1, 2023 and received a day of custody and three years of supervised release. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Department of Justice Office of Inspector General (DOJ OIG) conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake D. Pugh prosecuted the case. 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. 2:22-cr-0003-FL-001. ###


title: U.S. Resolves Civil Claims Against Medical Device Manufacturer for Falsely Claiming that Chinese Components Sold to the Federal Government Were American Made

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE – The United States has resolved civil claims against a Massachusetts medical device manufacturer for selling Chinese-made products to the federal government that were required by law to have been made in America, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. The civil settlement, reached with Zoll Medical Corporation, a supplier of medical devices and related technology that is headquartered in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, follows an investigation into allegations that, between January 2019 and November 2022, Zoll sold electrocardiogram cables (“ECG”), which are used with defibrillators and cardiac monitors, to federal government purchasers, including the U.S. Department of Defense, despite knowing that the cables were manufactured in China, rather than the United States. Under the federal Trade Agreements Act, goods sold to the military or federal government purchasers must be made in America or certain designated foreign countries; China is not such a country. In addition, the government alleges that, in January of 2019, Zoll inaccurately represented to government officials that replacement ECG cables offered by Zoll to federal government purchasers had, in fact, been manufactured in the United States. This settlement marks the third civil resolution obtained by the District of Rhode Island since 2022 that involves allegedly false representations concerning foreign-manufactured goods that were passed off to government purchasers as American-made; it also follows two successful criminal prosecutions by this office, individuals who had various roles in a conspiracy that directed the development, manufacture, and importation of $20 million worth of Chinese-made counterfeit U.S. military uniforms and gear that were passed off as genuine American-made products and sold to the U.S. government. “When corporations choose to supply the American military and American government agencies with goods, the law is clear: we expect those goods to be American made,” said U.S. Attorney Cunha. “When companies fail in their legal duty by substituting foreign products for the U.S-origin goods that the law requires, we will hold them accountable.” Under the terms of a civil settlement agreement with the United States, Zoll will pay $400,000 to the federal government to resolve claims based on this conduct under the common law doctrines of payment by mistake and breach of contract. These allegations were brought to the government’s attention by Jing Zhang, a former Zoll employee, who filed a qui tam complaint on behalf of the United States in May of 2019, alleging that Zoll violated the False Claims Act. After an extensive investigation of the whistleblower’s allegations, the government has entered into its settlement of common law claims with Zoll as an alternate remedy under the False Claims Act. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bethany Wong and Dulce Donovan litigated the matter. The case was investigated by the Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, Rhode Island Task Force; Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service; Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office; Army Criminal Investigation Division, Major Procurement Fraud Field Office; Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Procurement Fraud Detachment 6; Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Criminal Investigations Division, Northeast Field Office; Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General; and U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Boston Field Office. ### zoll_settlement_agreement.pdf


title: Paducah Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine and Firearm Offenses

body_text: Paducah, KY – A Paducah man was sentenced yesterday for charges related to methamphetamine distribution and for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division and Sheriff Ryan Norman of the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement. According to court documents, James Russell “Rusty” Hayden, 51, of Paducah, was sentenced to 14 years, followed by a 5-year term of supervised release, for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. There is no parole in the federal system. The case was investigated by the DEA Paducah Post of Duty Office and the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department and the ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Hancock, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case. ###


title: United States Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Alabama  Commemorates National Police Week 2023

component: USAO - Alabama, Middle

body_text: Montgomery, Alabama— In honor of National Police Week, United States Attorney Sandra J. Stewart recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement. This year, the week is observed May 14 through May 20. “The safety and prosperity of our nation depends on the brave men and women who serve in law enforcement,” stated U.S. Attorney Stewart. “They watch over our communities, day after day, never knowing if they will make it back home at the end of their shifts. During this week, we take time to honor and recognize those we have lost and thank those that continue to serve. I strongly encourage all citizens to do just that, not only this week, but each week to come.” In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. Based on data submitted to and analyzed by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), 226 law enforcement officers died nationwide in the line of duty in 2022. Additionally, according to 2022 statistics reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program , 60 law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty in 2022 were killed as a result of felonious acts, whereas 58 died in accidents. Deaths resulting from felonious acts decreased 17.8% in 2022, when compared to the 73 officers who were killed as a result of criminal acts in 2021. Additional LEOKA statistics can be found on FBI’s Crime Data Explorer website for the LEOKA program. Each year, hundreds of names of officers killed in the line of duty are engraved on the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC. The NLEOMF’s 35th Annual Candlelight Vigil on the National Mall in Washington, DC, memorializes the 556 fallen officers who sacrificed all for their communities. The schedule of National Police Week events is available on NLEOMF’s website . Reference to any specific organization or service(s) offered by an organization is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Department of Justice.


title: Violent Child Predator Sentenced to Over 7 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm and Failing to Register as a Sex Offender After Moving to Southern Indiana

component: USAO - Indiana, Southern

body_text: NEW ALBANY- Franklin Gomar, 42, of Kentucky, was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to illegally possessing a firearm and failing to register as a sex offender. According to court documents, in January, 2001, Gomar was convicted of 2nd degree manslaughter in Jefferson County, Kentucky. In April, 2001, Gomar was also convicted of the sexual abuse of a 9 year old child. The sexual abuse conviction requires Gomar to register as a sex offender wherever he lives, works, or goes to school. On or before March 1, 2020, Gomar lived in Scottsburg, Indiana. Gomar knowingly failed to register or update his registration as required by the Sex Offender Registration Notification Act (SORNA). SORNA requires offenders to register within 3 business days after a change of residence. On March 13, 2020, law enforcment officers with the Bureau of Alochol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives executed a search warrant at Gomar’s residence in Scottsburg, Indiana. During the search, officers found a loaded Ruger 9mm handgun on Gomar’s person. Officers also located a rifle loaded with a high capacity magazine in the bedroom. The rifle had been reported stolen by the Louisville Metro Police in March of 2019. Gomar is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to his previous felony convictions. “This extremely dangerous defendant, one who has displayed a pattern of predatory and violent criminal activity, willfully disregarding the law, and continuing to arm himself, is exactly the type of individual our office works to ensure is behind bars,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers. “I commend the work of the ATF, Indiana State Police, the U.S. Marshals, and the Scott County Sheriff’s Office for tracking down this offender and preventing him from being able to harm or abuse any other vulnerable individuals.” “The law clearly defines when an individual is prohibited from possessing a firearm. The defendant’s past violent criminal record, including manslaughter and sexual abuse of a child, clearly place him in the prohibited category,” stated Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division. “ATF will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to remove violent individuals from our community and working to keep us all safer.” “I hope other would-be criminals see these results of this investigation and decide not to visit Scott County, Indiana.,” said Scott County Sheriff, Jerry Goodin. “If you break the law or are a fugitive from justice, we will work with all law enforcement agencies necessary to assist in getting you arrested; it is that simple.” The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated this case, with valuable assistance provided by the Indiana State Police, Scott County Sheriff’s Office, and U.S. Marshals Great Lakes Region Fugitive Task Force. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. Judge Pratt also ordered that Gomar be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 5 years following his release from federal prison. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Pamela S. Domash, who prosecuted this case. ###


title: Colchester Woman Sentenced in Federal Court to 20 Months Imprisonment for Robbery of Church Street Store in Burlington

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that yesterday Sabrina Kingsbury, 41, most recently of Colchester, Vermont, was sentenced to 20 months imprisonment by U.S. District Court Judge Christina Reiss. Judge Reiss also sentenced Kingsbury to three years supervised release, which follows her prison sentence. Kingsbury previously pleaded guilty to an offense under the Hobbs Act with obstructing commerce by robbery, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment. In recommending a sentence of 24 months or less, the government cited Kingsbury’s significant progress in addressing her substance abuse and mental health issues through treatment. According to court records on April 18, 2022, at approximately 4:00 p.m., Kingsbury entered the Black Diamond store at 17 Church Street and gathered about $1,200 worth of merchandise. Kingsbury then attempted to leave the store without paying for these items. After store employees confronted her, she threatened to stab one of them with a knife. Soon after, officers from the Burlington Police Department arrested Kingsbury with the merchandise near the bus stop located at St. Paul and Pearl Streets. At the time of her arrest, Kingsbury possessed a Gerber Leatherman knife. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Burlington Police Department investigated this case. The United States is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Perella. Steven Barth, Esq. of the Office of the Federal Public Defender represented Kingsbury. This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime https://www.justice.gov/psn .


title: Justice Department Reaches Settlement with Cumberland County Addressing Conditions at County Jail

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – The Justice Department today filed a complaint and proposed consent decree with Cumberland County, New Jersey, and the Cumberland County Department of Corrections to resolve allegations that conditions at the Cumberland County Jail violate the Constitution. The proposed consent decree, which must still be approved by the court, resolves the United States’ claims that the jail fails to provide adequate mental health care to incarcerated individuals at risk of self-harm and suicide, and fails to provide medication-assisted treatment, where clinically indicated, to incarcerated individuals experiencing unmedicated opiate withdrawal. The proposed consent decree requires the jail to provide adequate mental health care and medication-assisted treatment in those circumstances. “The Justice Department is committed to protecting the civil rights of everyone in our country, and under our Constitution, jails and prisons must provide adequate medical care to incarcerated individuals,” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said. “Today’s proposed consent decree is a significant step toward improving the care of individuals incarcerated in Cumberland County who are struggling with serious mental health disorders, and toward protecting the civil rights that are guaranteed by our Constitution.” “The opioid epidemic is a public health emergency that plagues too many communities across the country,” U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said. “Medications are a critically important tool in combatting the opioid crisis, and they save lives. By providing medication-assisted treatment to incarcerated individuals experiencing opiate withdrawal, officials at jails and prisons can take significant steps to both combat the opioid epidemic and protect the constitutional rights of their populations.” “This consent decree marks a significant milestone in the Justice Department’s efforts to combat discrimination against those with opioid use disorder and to protect the civil rights of people in our jails and prisons,” said Assistant Attorney General for Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Under this agreement, Cumberland County must provide adequate medical and mental health care, including access to life-saving medications, treatment for opiate withdrawal, and protection for those with a heightened risk of self-harm and suicide. We commend Cumberland County for working collaboratively with us to implement the reforms in this decree to protect the safety and constitutional rights of incarcerated people at Cumberland County Jail.” The Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for District of New Jersey initiated the investigation in June 2018 under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act, which authorizes the department to take action to address a pattern or practice of deprivation of constitutional rights of individuals confined to state or local government-run correctional facilities. In January 2021, the Department of Justice provided the county written notice of the alleged unlawful conditions and remedial measures necessary to address them. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department is available on its website at https://www.justice.gov/crt/special-litigation-section . Individuals who believe their civil rights may have been violated may file a complaint with the U.S Attorney’s Office at www.civilrights.justice.gov . The government is represented by Michael E. Campion, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Rights Division; Assistant U.S. Attorney Junis Baldon of the U.S. Attorney’s Civil Rights Division; Laura Cowall, Deputy Chief of the Special Litigation Section in the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; Marlysha Myrthil, Senior Trial Attorney, Special Litigation Section; and Curtis Harris, Trial Attorney, Special Litigation Section. cumberland.complaint.pdf cumberlandagreement.pdf


title: Mingo County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug Crimes

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Paul Thomasson, 57, of Delbarton, was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, Thomasson admitted to selling quantities of methamphetamine to a confidential informant at his residence in Delbarton on October 4, 2021, and October 12, 2021. On October 20, 2021, law enforcement officers arrested Thomasson at his residence on a warrant. Officers searched the residence and found more than 1 pound of fentanyl, 30 grams of fentanyl, three firearms and $12,089. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Route 119 Drug Task Force. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Blackwell 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-141. ###


title: Postal Service Supervisor Charged with Misappropriation of Postal Funds

body_text: CAMDEN, N.J. – A Cape May County, New Jersey, man was arrested for misappropriation of postal funds, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Austin T. Mahan, 42, of Cape May Court House, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with misappropriating approximately $65,000 in postal funds. Mahan appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ann Marie Danio in Camden federal court on May 16, 2023, and was released on $50,000 unsecured bond. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: For approximately six months in 2022 and 2023, Mahan, who worked as a U.S. Postal Service (USPS) supervisor at the Sea Isle and Somers Point Post Offices at various times, misused USPS credit cards to make personal purchases at various retail stores in and around New Jersey. These purchases included tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of gift cards as well as various home décor items, home renovation materials, power and handheld tools, tool storage equipment, and personal items such as a Dyson cordless vacuum, LED fog light bulbs for Mahan’s personal vehicle, batteries, shampoo, shaving cream, food products and other items. The charge of misappropriating postal funds is punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison and a maximum potential fine of the greater of $250,000 or a sum equal to the amount of value of the money or property misappropriated from the offense. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited agents of the USPS, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi, with the investigation leading to the complaint. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara A. Aliabadi of the Special Prosecutions Division in Camden. The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. mahan.complaint.pdf


title: Slidell Woman Sentenced for Theft of Federal Government Funds

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – LINDA REED HILL (“HILL”) , age 76, of Slidell, Louisiana, was sentenced on May 16, 2023 for Theft of Government Funds in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641, announced United States Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to documents filed in federal court, beginning on or about May 1, 2004, and continuing until on or about February 28, 2021, HILL did knowingly embezzle, steal, purloin, and convert to her use, money belonging to the United States and a department and agency thereof, namely the Social Security Administration, to which she knew she was not entitled, when she withdrew funds from a joint JP Morgan Chase account registered both under her own name and Individual “A’s” name. Prior to April 28, 2004, Individual “A” received SSA Retirement Survivor Insurance (“RSI”). After the Individual “A’s” death, from approximately May 2004 to February 2021, Individual “A” continued to receive monthly SSA disability benefits in an amount ranging from $1,310.00 - $1,518.00 per month, totaling $319,696.00. These monies were then deposited by SSA into a joint JP Morgan Chase Savings account, shared by HILL and Individual “A”. The monthly SSA funds were thereafter taken from the joint account, transferred to two different accounts listed under HILL ’s name, and withdrawn by HILL . United States District Judge Greg G. Guidry sentenced HILL to four (4) years’ probation, restitution to the Social Security Administration in the amount of $319,696, and HILL was ordered to pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General with this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit.


title: U.S. Settles Lawsuit Alleging That Bronx Nursing Home Paid Kickbacks For Patient Referrals And Switched Residents’ Healthcare Coverage Without Their Consent

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Naomi Gruchacz, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”), announced today that the United States has filed and settled a civil fraud lawsuit alleging that MORRIS PARK NURSING HOME (“MORRIS PARK”), a skilled nursing facility located in the Bronx, New York, engaged in two fraudulent and illegal schemes that violated the False Claims Act and the Anti-Kickback Statute. The first scheme involved cash payments made to a supervisor at a nearby hospital for patient referrals, and the second scheme involved switching residents’ Medicare coverage without their consent in order to increase the Medicare payments MORRIS PARK received. The United States’ complaint also names as defendants TZODIK WEINBERG, a/k/a “Justin Weinberg,” MORRIS PARK’s former Administrator, and MAIER ARM for their roles in the fraudulent conduct. Under the settlement agreements approved by U.S. District Judge Jennifer H. Rearden, the estate of the owner of MORRIS PARK at the time of the conduct alleged in the Complaint will pay to the United States $2.85 million, WEINBERG will pay $495,000, and ARM will pay $115,000. Each defendant also made extensive factual admissions regarding their conduct. The settlement with the estate took into consideration MORRIS PARK’s prior voluntary self-disclosure of facts related to the improper changes made to residents’ insurance coverage. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Morris Park and its former Administrator prioritized boosting Medicare payments above compliance with the law. They paid cash kickbacks to obtain patient referrals to fill empty beds and switched residents’ insurance coverage without properly obtaining the residents’ consent in order to increase the amount the facility was paid. This Office is committed to pursuing all violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute and other laws designed to ensure that medical decisions are based only on the patient’s best interest.” HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz said: “The misconduct that occurred at Morris Park exhibits the prioritization of profits over residents’ best interests. This nursing home paid illegal kickbacks to manipulate the resident referral process and changed patients’ health coverage selections without properly obtaining their consent, with no apparent concern for how these events could negatively impact residents. HHS-OIG and our fellow law enforcement agencies strive to ensure that entities furnishing services to Medicare enrollees are operating in accordance with federal health care laws.” Medicare beneficiaries may enroll in Medicare Parts A and B, known as Original Medicare, or in Medicare Part C Advantage Plans (“MA Plans”), which are administered by private companies that contract with the government. Under Original Medicare, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) directly reimburses healthcare providers, like skilled nursing facilities, on a fee-for-service basis. In contrast, when reimbursing services provided under MA Plans, CMS pays Medicare Advantage Organizations (“MAOs”), which operate the MA Plans, a fixed, capitated amount each month for each Medicare beneficiary enrolled in the MA Plan. CMS advises individuals to consider various factors in deciding between enrolling in an MA Plan or Original Medicare, such as differences in out-of-pocket costs and doctor choice. As alleged in the Complaint filed in Manhattan federal court: It is well known within the skilled nursing facility industry that it is usually more profitable for the facility to admit residents enrolled in Original Medicare than in MA Plans. The defendants engaged in two fraudulent and illegal schemes to increase the number of Original Medicare residents at MORRIS PARK. Payment of Cash Kickbacks for Patient Referrals From January 1, 2017, through December 31, 2019, MORRIS PARK offered and paid remuneration in the form of cash payments, meals, and sports tickets to a Jacobi discharge planning supervisor (the “Jacobi Manager”) to induce her to refer Original Medicare beneficiaries for admission to MORRIS PARK. For much of this period, MORRIS PARK paid the Jacobi Manager $150 for each referred patient who was admitted to the facility. WEINBERG was responsible for delivering the cash payments personally to the Jacobi Manager, often arranging to meet her at a CVS parking lot close to MORRIS PARK. He regularly reached out to the Jacobi Manager to request patient referrals when MORRIS PARK had empty beds. MORRIS PARK paid the Jacobi Manager a total of approximately $5,000 to $10,000 for referring dozens of Original Medicare patients for admission to MORRIS PARK. In addition, MORRIS PARK offered the Jacobi Manager tickets to Yankees games, invited her and her staff to a MORRIS PARK-sponsored holiday party, and frequently arranged for food to be delivered to her office. Scheme to Switch Residents’ Medicare Coverage From January 1, 2018, through December 31, 2019, MORRIS PARK, at the direction of WEINBERG, disenrolled residents from their self-selected MA Plans and enrolled them in Original Medicare without obtaining the consent of the residents or their authorized representatives. WEINBERG pressured MORRIS PARK staff to disenroll residents from their MA Plans. MORRIS PARK staff approached residents, often at their bedside, to try to persuade them to switch their insurance coverage. When talking to residents and their families, MORRIS PARK staff typically did not fully explain how the change to Original Medicare would impact the resident’s coverage, including potential changes to the resident’s co-payments and deductibles; the potential loss of supplemental coverage available under the resident’s MA Plan; any resulting change in the resident’s drug plan; or limitations on when the resident could re-enroll in the plan after leaving MORRIS PARK. In most cases, the defendants switched residents’ insurance coverage without getting the residents or their family members to sign a consent form evidencing the resident’s consent to the insurance change. In certain instances, at the direction of WEINBERG, MORRIS PARK staff offered to reduce or waive the co-payments that would be owed by residents under Original Medicare in order to try to persuade them to agree to disenroll from their MA Plan. In the summer of 2018, on WEINBERG’s recommendation, MORRIS PARK retained WEINBERG’s friend, ARM (who worked at another skilled nursing facility) to assist with the improper disenrollments. MORRIS PARK paid ARM a $1,000 fee for each resident whom ARM helped to switch to Original Medicare. ARM agreed to split this $1,000 fee with WEINBERG, so WEINBERG would pocket $500 for each resident who was disenrolled. The settlement with the estate of the owner of MORRIS PARK at the time of the misconduct includes the following admissions of conduct: During the period from 2017 through 2019, MORRIS PARK offered to make, and in fact made, cash payments to the Jacobi Manager for each Original Medicare patient referral that resulted in an admission to the facility. For much of this period, the Jacobi Manager received the sum of $150 for each referral. During the period from 2017 through 2019, MORRIS PARK admitted dozens of Medicare patients who were referred to the facility by Jacobi. In order to persuade residents to disenroll from their MA Plans, in many instances, MORRIS PARK staff did not fully explain to residents and their families how a switch to Original Medicare would affect the resident’s coverage, including potential changes to the resident’s co-payments and deductibles and the potential loss of supplemental coverage that was available under the resident’s MA Plan. In some instances, MORRIS PARK staff offered inducements to residents or their family members to try to persuade them to agree to the disenrollment. For example, at the direction of WEINBERG, staff sometimes offered to reduce or waive the co-payments that residents would be required to pay starting on the 21 st day of their stay at the facility if they switched to Original Medicare. In most cases, MORRIS PARK disenrolled residents from their MA Plans without obtaining from the resident or any family member a signed disenrollment form or any other document evidencing the resident’s consent to the insurance change. In several instances, MORRIS PARK disenrolled residents even after the residents and/or their family members had indicated they did not want to switch their Medicare coverage. Starting in early 2019, MORRIS PARK paid WEINBERG monthly cash bonuses if the average number of Original Medicare residents at the facility was maintained at a certain level for a given month. MORRIS PARK also paid bonuses to marketing and admissions staff members that were tied to the admission of new residents with Original Medicare. As part of his settlement, WEINBERG admits, acknowledges, and accepts responsibility for the following conduct: Starting sometime in 2017, WEINBERG was responsible for delivering the cash payments personally to the Jacobi Manager. They texted to arrange a time and place to meet in person, often meeting at a CVS parking lot close to MORRIS PARK. WEINBERG reached out to the Jacobi Manager on numerous occasions to ask for patient referrals so he could fill empty beds at MORRIS PARK. During his time at MORRIS PARK, WEINBERG sought to maximize the number of residents who were enrolled in Original Medicare. Shortly after he became Administrator, WEINBERG directed MORRIS PARK’s staff to try to persuade many of the facility’s residents to disenroll from their MA Plans and to enroll in Original Medicare instead. WEINBERG identified residents who were candidates for disenrollment and then pressured staff to take steps to switch those residents’ insurance coverage. In the summer of 2018, WEINBERG contacted his friend, ARM, who worked full-time at another skilled nursing facility in the Bronx. WEINBERG asked ARM to assist with the disenrollment process at MORRIS PARK. MORRIS PARK reached an agreement with ARM under which MORRIS PARK would pay $1,000 to ARM for each MORRIS PARK resident whom ARM helped to disenroll from a Medicare Advantage Plan and enroll in Original Medicare. WEINBERG and ARM agreed that they would split this $1,000 payment, so that WEINBERG would receive $500 for each resident disenrolled. WEINBERG did not disclose this arrangement to MORRIS PARK. Once ARM was retained, the pace of disenrollments dramatically increased. WEINBERG continued to exert significant pressure on MORRIS PARK staff to disenroll as many residents from Medicare Advantage Plans as possible. In one instance in July 2019, WEINBERG directed the facility’s Financial Coordinator to disenroll a resident who clearly lacked the capacity to consent to a change in their insurance coverage. The Financial Coordinator asked WEINBERG “[h]ow do we do a dis enrollment” when the resident “is not alert” and has no family. WEINBERG responded: “We just do it.” As part of his settlement, ARM admits, acknowledges, and accepts responsibility for the following conduct: ARM understood that MORRIS PARK would benefit from maximizing the number of residents who were enrolled in Original Medicare because the facility typically received a higher daily reimbursement rate for residents enrolled in Original Medicare as compared to MA Plans, and Original Medicare residents were often approved by Medicare for longer stays in the facility. ARM reached an agreement under which MORRIS PARK would pay $1,000 to ARM for each MORRIS PARK resident whom ARM helped to disenroll from a MA Plan and enroll in Original Medicare. WEINBERG asked ARM to split this $1,000 payment with him, so that WEINBERG would receive $500 for each resident disenrolled. ARM agreed. ARM did not disclose this arrangement to anyone else at MORRIS PARK. From August 2018 through December 2019, MORRIS PARK paid ARM $1,000 for each MORRIS PARK resident who was disenrolled from their MA Plan and enrolled in Original Medicare. Although ARM usually relied on MORRIS PARK staff to obtain and document the resident’s consent, he did not confirm that the resident had actually consented or signed the disenrollment form before processing the disenrollment. * * * Mr. Williams thanked HHS-OIG for its assistance with the case. This case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Frauds Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey K. Powell is in charge of the case.


title: Career Criminal Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Violent, Armed Robbery of Indianapolis Car Dealership

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Jeffrey Fleshood, 44, of Franklin, Indiana was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to Attempted Interference with Commerce by Robbery and Felon in Possession of a Firearm as an Armed Career Criminal. According to court documents, on October 12, 2021, Jeffrey Fleshood attempted to rob a car dealership located on Washington Street in Indianapolis, Indiana. Around 12:30 pm that afternoon, Fleshood called the business to inquire about a truck that had been advertised for sale. Fleshood confirmed that he would come by the dealership at some point to buy the truck. At 3:23 p.m. that same day, Fleshood entered the dealership. Fleshood spoke to Victim 1, who was working at the dealership that day, and told him that he wanted to see the truck. Fleshood then brandished a .380 caliber semiautomatic pistol, pointed it at Victim 1, and ordered him to get on his knees and put his hands in the air. Fleshood held the muzzle of the pistol against Victim 1’s back and attempted to bind his hands with zip-ties. Victim 1 fought back and wrestled the gun from Fleshood. During the struggle, Fleshood struck Victim 1 multiple times with his fists and the pistol. Victim 1 suffered multiple cuts, bruises, and a broken tooth because of the fight. Victim 1 managed to get the gun away from Fleshood and call 911. Fleshood fled the scene of the robbery and was quickly arrested by Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Officers at the intersection of Southeastern and Arsenal avenues. During the investigation, officers located zip-ties on Fleshood’s person and scattered in the street. At the time of his arrest, Fleshood had been previously convicted of six felonies, including residential entry, three separate burglary charges, resisting law enforcement, and possession of methamphetamine. These felony convictions prohibit Fleshood from possessing a firearm under federal law. “Every person deserves to feel safe where they live and work. This defendant terrorized and violently robbed an innocent man at his place of employment,’ said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana Zachary A. Myers. “His violent, senseless crimes have no place in our communities, and we are safer with him behind federal prison bars. I am grateful to the FBI and IMPD for ensuring that he is held accountable for his actions. “This sentence clearly demonstrates the impact and importance of the ongoing collaboration between the FBI and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “This defendant failed to learn from multiple previous felony convictions and instead chose to continue committing acts of violence. The FBI and our law enforcement partners remain committed to ensuring residents feel safe in their homes, places of work and the community.” The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with valuable assistance provided by IMPD. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Richard L. Young. Judge Young also ordered that Fleshood be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 5 years following his release from federal prison. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Kelsey Massa, who prosecuted this case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: U.S. Attorney Sellinger to Hold Third Town Hall

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger and members of his staff will meet with residents in Camden next week at the third in a series of planned town hall meetings. The town hall series is one initiative of U.S. Attorney Sellinger to engage directly with citizens’ concerns and ultimately to improve public safety in New Jersey. The town hall will be held on Monday, May 22, 2023, doors opening at 6:00 p.m. with the program beginning promptly at 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Tabernacle of Faith Church of God in Christ, 115 N. 5 th Street, Camden, New Jersey, 08102. U.S. Attorney Sellinger will discuss the work of his office in a variety of areas, encompassing federal civil rights enforcement, including bias and hate crimes, environmental justice, violent crime, opioid-related crime, and post-incarceration programs. This is a community event and is open to the public.


title: Former Idaho Farm Foreman Indicted for Wire Fraud, Extortion, and Filing False Tax Returns

component: U.S. Attorneys (USAO)

body_text: BOISE – A federal grand jury in Boise returned an indictment charging Ernesto Garibay Garza, 61, of Texas, with wire fraud, extortion, and filing false tax returns, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. According to the indictment, Garza worked as a farm foreman in Idaho at least between 2005 and 2019, during which time he used H-2A agricultural workers, who lawfully enter the United States to perform agricultural labor or services on a temporary or seasonal basis, to further a scheme to defraud the farm and he also extorted the H-2A agricultural workers for annual cash payments. The indictment also charges Garza with filing false tax returns. According to the indictment, Garza implemented the unlawful scheme while he worked as a supervisor and foreman for F.D.C. in Glenns Ferry. F.D.C. is an agricultural services company that operates farms throughout Idaho, including in Glenns Ferry. The farm employs H-2A agricultural workers each year from approximately March to November. According to the indictment, beginning in approximately May 2005, Garza began defrauding F.D.C. by reporting more hours on timesheets than actually worked by the H-2A agricultural workers, then requiring the H-2A agricultural workers to pay back the hours that the H-2A agricultural workers did not work in cash to Garza every two weeks. Garza directed and caused another individual to collect cash from the H-2A agricultural workers. Garza informed the H-2A agricultural workers that they would not be allowed to return to F.D.C. the following year if they refused to remit the cash to Garza. Garza also obtained separate annual cash payments from H-2A agricultural workers as a condition of future employment, with their consent induced by wrongful threat of economic harm against H-2A rules and regulations. Garza is scheduled for trial on July 10, 2023, before Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye of the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho. If convicted, he faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison. U.S. Attorney Hurwit credited the cooperative efforts of the Idaho State Police and the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, which led to the charges. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law . ###


title: Harvey Man Pleads Guilty to Violations of the Federal Controlled Substances and Gun Control Acts

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – FREDERICK TURNER , age 51, a resident of Harvey, Louisiana, pled guilty on May 16, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. TURNER pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine hydrochloride and a quantity of cocaine base (“crack”), in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). According to court documents, a DEA investigation revealed that TURNER was involved in a narcotics distribution conspiracy with several other co-conspirators between June 8, 2020, and June 5, 2021. As part of the conspiracy, TURNER regularly distributed amounts of cocaine hydrochloride (powder cocaine) and crack cocaine. Additionally, officers executed a search warrant at TURNER’s residence where they seized an illegal shotgun. For the drug conspiracy charge, TURNER faces up to twenty years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and at least three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. For being a felon in possession of a firearm, TURNER faces a maximum of 10 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to 3 years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. Additionally, TURNER faces payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee for each count. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney J. Benjamin Myers.


title: Henrico Man Sentenced to 19 Years for Armed Fentanyl Trafficking

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

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A Henrico County man was sentenced yesterday to 19 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin and fentanyl. According to court documents, Hugh Mason, 41, possessed over 300 grams of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl that he intended to distribute. Law enforcement agents executed search warrants at Mason’s primary residence in Henrico County and an apartment Mason utilized in in the City of Richmond. During a court authorized search of Mason’s home on February 16, 2022, agents recovered over $28,000, drug trafficking paraphernalia, items used for preparing and packaging illegal controlled substances for resale, and a loaded FN 57, 5.7 caliber semiautomatic handgun. From the apartment in Richmond, agents recovered 315.63 grams of a mixture containing heroin and fentanyl, an additional 35.6 grams of heroin, ammunition and magazines for the FN 57 handgun, digital scales, and packaging materials used for packaging illegal drugs for distribution. Mason admitted that for over a year, he distributed and possessed with the intent to distribute at least 12 kilograms of cocaine and at least 3 kilograms of heroin. Mason, a convicted felon, also admitted that he possessed the FN 57 handgun to protect his drugs and drug proceeds and himself while engaged in drug trafficking. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Michael T. Weddel, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division; and Rick Edwards, Acting Chief of Richmond Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Olivia L. Norman and Jessica Wright 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. 3:22-cr-66.


title: Chantilly Man Sentenced for Distribution of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Chantilly man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison and 15 years of supervised release for distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). According to court documents, in May 2020, Francisco Burgos, Jr., 38, began chatting with an individual located in Australia about their sexual interest in children over a messaging and chat app. Burgos sent the individual a video depicting child sexual abuse material in exchange for two such videos from the individual, who was actively recording the sexual abuse of his own children. In September 2022, Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) personnel searched Burgos’s hotel room and seized two cell phones containing child sexual abuse material that Burgos had shared using the WhatsApp application. Ultimately, law enforcement found 18 videos and 31 images of child sexual abuse material on the defendant’s phones. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura D. Withers prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . 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. 1:22-cr-236.


title: Louisville Man Indicted by Federal Grand Jury for Bomb Hoax and Assaulting Federal Officers

body_text: Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville returned an indictment today charging a local man with one count of violating a federal law prohibiting false information and hoaxes and with three counts of assaulting federal officers. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Kelly Moening of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) Louisville Field Office made the announcement. According to court documents, on April 17, 2023, Cameron Hyatt, 29, engaged in conduct with intent to convey false and misleading information under circumstances where such information may reasonably be believed in that he threatened to bomb an Internal Revenue Service processing facility where he previously worked as a contract employee. Additionally, on April 20, 2023, Hyatt assaulted, resisted, or impeded three TIGTA Special Agents. Hyatt was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on April 20, 2023. He remains in federal custody. Hyatt’s next court appearance is scheduled for May 23, 2023, before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, Hyatt faces a maximum sentence of 29 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system. The TIGTA is investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Elver is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Normal, Illinois, Woman Pleads Guilty to Illegally Purchasing Firearm Used to Shoot and Kill Champaign Police Officer

body_text: PEORIA, Ill. – A Normal, Illinois, woman, Regina Lewis, 28, of the 1200 block of Major Street, pleaded guilty on May 16, 2023, to conspiracy to illegally purchase and transfer a firearm and conspiracy to engage in misleading conduct. Sentencing for Lewis has been scheduled on October 2, 2023, at the U.S. Courthouse in Urbana, Illinois. In court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan E. Hawley, Lewis admitted that she conspired with co-defendant Ashantae Corruthers and Darion M. Lafayette, now deceased, to purchase and transfer a firearm to Lafayette, who could not legally purchase a firearm himself because he was a convicted felon. Such a transaction is commonly known as a “straw purchase.” During the hearing, the government stated that, on November 17, 2020, at the direction of Lafayette and Lewis, Corruthers purchased a Glock 48, nine-millimeter, semi-automatic pistol and Sellier & Bellot, nine-millimeter ammunition, from a federal firearms licensee (FFL) in Indianapolis. During the purchase, Corruthers falsely certified on an ATF form that she was the actual buyer of the firearm, when in fact, she purchased the firearm for Lafayette and transferred it to him. Lewis further admitted that she conspired with Corruthers and Lafayette to cover up the discovery of their illegal purchase and transfer of the firearm by having Corruthers falsely report to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department on April 26, 2021, that the Glock pistol was stolen from her around March of 2021. The government stated that, approximately twenty-three days after Corruthers falsely reported the firearm stolen, Lafayette used the firearm to shoot and kill Champaign Police Officer Christopher Oberheim in Champaign, Illinois. Lewis admitted that she and Corruthers continued the cover-up after Oberheim’s death by agreeing to have Corruthers falsely tell an ATF Special Agent investigating the officer-involved shooting that she purchased the gun for herself, that it was stolen from her in March of 2021, and that she did not know Lafayette. Lewis remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing. Lewis faces statutory penalties of up to five years in prison for conspiracy to illegally purchase and transfer a firearm and up to twenty years in prison for conspiracy to engage in misleading conduct. Each charge also carries a penalty of up to three years of supervised release and up to a $250,000 fine. The trial of Corruthers is scheduled to begin on June 27, 2023, in Urbana, Illinois. The case investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugene L. Miller is representing the government in the prosecution.


title: Paducah Resident Sentenced to Over 12 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine and Firearm Charges

body_text: Paducah, KY – A Paducah man was sentenced to federal prison yesterday for methamphetamine distribution and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police, Chief Jason Newby of the Hopkinsville Police Department, Sheriff Ryan Norman of the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office, and Sheriff Brent White of the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement. According to court documents, Trevion Clary, 31, was sentenced to 12 years and 6 months in prison, followed by a 5-year term of supervised release, for two counts of possessing with the intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, one count of possessing with the intent to distribute more than 50 grams of a methamphetamine mixture, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. There is no parole in the federal system. “I commend the work of our federal and state partners in this case as well as the collaborative effort of KSP, the Hopkinsville Police Department, the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office,” stated U.S. Attorney Bennett. “Western Kentucky state and local law enforcement professionals are force multipliers and key to our ability to effectively enforce federal law. Real law enforcement collaboration results in safer communities for the citizens of the Western District.” The case was investigated by the ATF Paducah Satellite Office, the DEA Paducah Post of Duty Office, the Kentucky State Police, the Hopkinsville Police Department, and the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Hancock, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. effective ###


title: Rosedale Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Federal Prison for a Conspiracy to Smuggle Firearms and Other Military Items from the United States to Assist Separatists Fighting Against the Government of Cameroon

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Tamufor Nchumuluh St. Michael, age 42, of Rosedale, Maryland, yesterday to 30 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for conspiracy and for violating the Arms Export Control Act by sending firearms, ammunition, and other military-type items from the United States to Nigeria without obtaining a license from the U.S. Department of State. The arms were intended to assist separatists fighting against the government of Cameroon. The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) Baltimore; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) Baltimore Field Division; and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (“DCIS”) - Mid-Atlantic Field Office. According to his plea agreement, from at least November 2017 continuing until July 19, 2019, St. Michael and his co-defendants conspired with each other and with others to export firearms, ammunition and other military type items from the United States to Nigeria. Between March 2018 and July 2019, St. Michael and his co-conspirators purchased, both over the internet and in person, large amounts of ammunition, ammunition reloading supplies, firearms, firearm parts and other military-type items, which were sent to St. Michael’s residence. St. Michael purchased at least 24 different rifles online, which he picked up at a firearms retailer in Essex, Maryland. In each case, he certified an ATF Firearms Transaction Form certifying that he was the actual transferee or buyer of the firearm. St. Michael knew the certificates were false because the guns were purchased to export overseas. In December 2018, a shipping container with a 1989 Toyota truck inside was delivered to the street outside St. Michael’s residence. St. Michael and other co-conspirators loaded the container, secreting 38 firearms, 28 of which had the obliterated serial numbers, including sniper rifles, SKS assault rifles (some with bayonets), other rifles and several handguns. They also concealed 44 high-capacity magazines, two rifle scopes and over 35,000 rounds of ammunition in the container The conspirators concealed the firearms, ammunition, rifle scopes, and other items in duffle bags and heavily wrapped packages inside sealed compressor units, placing those items into the shipping container. The container was sent to the Port of Baltimore for export, departing on January 17, 2019, with a destination of Onne, Nigeria. Co-conspirator Tse Ernst Bangarie caused the electronic export information (“EEI”) to be filed with the Department of Commerce, listing the contents of the container as one Toyota Tundra truck, one 1989 Toyota truck, and “doors and frames.” The EEI also listed the U.S. Principal Party in Interest as an individual with the initials M.A.O. and a non-existent address. The telephone number listed for M.A.O. corresponded with a pre-paid cellular telephone. Bangarie knew that much of the information on the EEI was false and he intentionally did not include any mention of the firearms, ammunition and other items hidden in the container. Approximately one month later, the shipping container was ordered returned to the Port of Baltimore and on May 20, 2019, law enforcement personnel in Baltimore unsealed the container and examined its contents. In addition to the trucks and what appeared to be the contents of an old schoolhouse, the defendants and their co-conspirators had concealed firearms, ammunition, rifle scopes, and other items in duffle bags placed in the trucks and in heavily wrapped packages inside sealed compressor units, in the shipping container. In all, law enforcement recovered from the shipping container 38 firearms, 28 of which had obliterated serial numbers. The guns included sniper rifles, SKS assault rifles (some with bayonets), other rifles and several handguns. There were 44 high-capacity magazines, two rifle scopes and over 35,000 rounds of ammunition, as well as military-type items, including boots, pepper spray, zip-tie style handcuffs, hydration packs, a “ghillie suit” designed to camouflage the wearer outdoors, and other items. The ghillie suit and other items still had shipping labels on them that were addressed to St. Michael at his residence on Golden Ring Road. Between June 4, 2019 and June 12, 2019, St. Michael, who did not know that law enforcement had searched the container, contacted U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) several times seeking information about the container’s status. St. Michael indicated to CBP officers that he was one of five people who had put the shipment together for export and that he had cargo in the container. Eventually he sent an email to the CBP officer, attaching copies of the dock receipt and titles for the two Toyota trucks found in the container. As detailed in his plea agreement and other court document, on July 19, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at St. Michael’s residence. The basement of the residence contained machinery and equipment for the manufacturing of firearms and re-loading of ammunition, as well as rifles, handguns, firearms parts and accessories, a silencer, rifle scopes, powder, and thousands of rounds of ammunition. St. Michael admitted that he and his co-conspirators had intentionally hidden the firearms, ammunition, and military items in the container, that he knew the information on the EEI was false, that he knew neither he nor his co-conspirators had obtained the necessary licenses or authorizations from the Departments of State or Commerce to export the firearms or military items, and that he knew his actions violated the law. Seven other members of the conspiracy pleaded guilty to their involvement in the conspiracy. Judge Bennett sentenced Godlove Nche Manchoe, Tse Ernst Bangarie and Edith Ngang each to 46 months of incarceration and two more are awaiting are awaiting sentencing. A jury convicted three other members for the conspiracy, transportation of firearms with obliterated serial numbers, and smuggling following a jury trial in May 2022. Judge Bennett has sentenced two of those individuals, Eric Fru Nji and Wilson Nuyila Tita, to 63 months of incarceration and the third, Wilson Che Fonguh, is awaiting sentencing. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended HSI, the ATF and DCIS for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron recognized the U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement; the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service; the Naval Criminal Investigative Service; and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for their contributions to the investigation. U.S. Attorney Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen O. Gavin, who is prosecuting the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Grand Jury Returns Indictments

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. - A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned the following indictments today. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Missouri Man Charged with Producing Child Pornography Ryan A. Campbell, 46, Richmond, Missouri, is charged with one count of producing child pornography. The indictment alleges that on August 14, 2020, Campbell used a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of the conduct. Campbell was charged with this offense in a sealed complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin on May 8, 2023. The complaint alleged that he was staying at a residence in Amery, Wisconsin at the time the offense occurred. Campbell was arrested on May 10 in Kansas City, Missouri. He appeared in federal court in Missouri and was ordered held in federal custody. A date for his initial appearance in Wisconsin has not been set. If convicted, Campbell faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in federal prison. The charge against him is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Wisconsin and Missouri, the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Eau Claire County Sheriff’s Office, Kansas City Police Department and Jackson County (Missouri) Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman is handling the prosecution. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri handled Campbell’s appearance in federal court there. Texas Woman Charged with Fraud Scheme & Tax Evasion Sarah Doherty, also known as Sarah McKibbin, 33, Azle, Texas, is charged with eleven counts of wire fraud and four counts of tax evasion as part of a scheme to defraud that occurred between November 2016 and October 2020. The indictment alleges that a business owner hired Doherty to provide services for the business, named in the indictment as Business-1, and that in 2015, Doherty formed an S-corporation, Faith Outdoor Consulting, LLC, to facilitate the relationship with the business. The indictment alleges that Doherty used her access to the financial information of the business and its owner to defraud the business of approximately $3.43 million, and that she told the business’s bookkeepers and its outside accountant that the money was spent on business expenses, when she actually used the money to pay her personal expenses. The indictment also alleges that Doherty attempted to evade income taxes owed to the United States by submitting to the IRS a false and fraudulent Form 1040 for calendar years 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, and by submitting a false and fraudulent Form 1120-S for Faith Outdoor Consulting, LLC, for calendar years 2017, 2018, and 2019. The indictment alleges that these tax forms substantially understated her gross income and concealed gross income by disguising it as business expenses for Business-1. If convicted, Doherty faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each wire fraud count, and 5 years in prison on each tax evasion count. The charges against her are the result of an investigation by IRS Criminal Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Fall River Police Department, and Columbia County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner is handling the prosecution. Mexican Citizen Charged with Illegally Reentering U.S. Rogelio Bautista Bautista, 36, a citizen of Mexico found living in Abbotsford, Wisconsin, is charged with illegally reentering the United States. The indictment alleges that he was found in the United States on May 8, 2023, after previously having been deported and removed. If convicted, Bautista Bautista faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The charge against him is the result on an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Duchemin is handling the prosecution. Milwaukee Man Charged with Escape Floyd L. Marlow, Jr., 28, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is charged with escape. The indictment alleges that on February 20, 2023, he escaped from the Rock Valley Community Programs Center in Janesville, Wisconsin. If convicted, Marlow faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. The charge against him is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Anderson is handling the prosecution.


title: Minnesota Man Charged in Connection with “Ruby Slippers” Theft

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Terry Martin for the theft of an object of cultural heritage from the care, custody, or control of a museum. Martin is charged with one count of theft of major artwork. The indictment was filed on May 16 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota in Minneapolis. The Indictment alleges that in 2005, Martin stole an authentic pair of ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in the 1939 film, “The Wizard of Oz,” from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. At the time of theft, the slippers were insured for $1 million but current fair market appraisal value the slippers at $3.5 million. The ruby slippers, which were recovered by the FBI and Grand Rapids Police Department in July 2018, are one of the four remaining pairs and are widely viewed as among the most recognizable memorabilia in American film history. The charges announced today are the result of a federal investigation into the initial theft of the ruby slippers. The investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Minneapolis Division. An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This matter was assigned to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 515(a). Because the case is ongoing, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota will have no additional comment at this time. # # #


title: Allen County Felon Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Multiple Counts of Methamphetamine Trafficking and Illegal Possession of a Firearm

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Bowling Green, KY – An Allen County, Kentucky, man was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison for three counts of possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police, Sheriff Brandon Ford of the Allen County Sheriff’s Office, and Chief Darren Tabor of the Scottsville Police Department made the announcement. According to court documents, on March 26, 2021, in Allen County, Kentucky, Timothy D. Harrison, 41, possessed with the intent to distribute 24.002 grams of methamphetamine. Harrison also possessed a Ruger Wrangler .22 caliber revolver. Harrison was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offense. On February 25, 2020, in Allen Circuit Court, Harrison was convicted of first-degree possession of a controlled substance. On May 12, 2021, in Warren County, Kentucky, Harrison possessed with the intent to distribute 25.69 grams of methamphetamine, and a Taurus PT 24/7, .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol. Harrison was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the above stated felony offense. On November 17, 2021, in Allen County, Kentucky, Harrison possessed with the intent to distribute 39.40 grams of methamphetamine. Following the 10-year prison sentence, Harrison was ordered to serve 4 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. The case was investigated by the DEA Bowling Green Field Office, the Kentucky State Police, the Allen County Sheriff’s Office, and the Scottsville Police Department, with assistance by the ATF Bowling Green Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II, of the United States Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: Justice Department and EPA Announce Settlement to Reduce Hazardous Air Emissions at BP Products’ Whiting Refinery in Indiana

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a Clean Air Act Settlement with BP Products North America Inc., (BPP), a subsidiary of BP p.l.c., requiring control technology expected to reduce benzene by an estimated seven tons per year, other hazardous air pollutants (HAP) by 28 tons per year, and other volatile organic compound emissions (VOC) by 372 tons per year at its Whiting Refinery in Indiana. The United States’ complaint, filed simultaneously with the settlement, alleges that BPP violated federal regulations limiting benzene in refinery wastewater streams, and HAP and VOC emissions at its Whiting Refinery, as well as the general requirement to use good air pollution control practices. As part of the settlement, BPP will install one or more permanent benzene strippers to reduce benzene in wastewater streams leading to its lakefront wastewater treatment plant. “This settlement sends an important message to the refining industry that the United States will take decisive action against illegal benzene and VOC emissions,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Under the settlement, the refinery will implement controls that will greatly improve air quality and reduce health impacts on the overburdened communities that surround the facility.” “This settlement will result in the reduction of hundreds of tons of harmful air pollution a year, which means cleaner, healthier air for local communities, including communities with environmental justice concerns,” said Acting Assistant Administrator Larry Starfield of the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “This is one of several recent settlements that show that EPA and the Department of Justice are committed to improving air quality in local communities by holding industrial sources accountable for violations of emission standards under the Clean Air Act.” “This settlement advances my office’s environmental justice initiative by providing cleaner air and reducing the negative health impacts on the low income and minority residents who live near BPP’s refinery,” said U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana Clifford D. Johnson. “My office is committed to continuing to enforce the Nation’s environmental laws so that all residents of Northern Indiana can live, work, and play in a cleaner, healthier environment.” In addition to securing injunctive relief, including capital investments, estimated to exceed $197 million, the settlement obligates BPP to pay a total financial penalty of $40 million, comprised of civil penalties and stipulated penalties for violations of an earlier settlement. This is the largest civil penalty ever secured for a Clean Air Act stationary source settlement. BPP separately agreed to undertake a $5 million supplemental environmental project to reduce diesel emissions in the communities surrounding the Whiting Refinery. BPP will also install 10 air pollutant monitoring stations to monitor air quality outside of the refinery fence line. The settlement terms are included in a proposed consent decree filed with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana. Benzene is known to cause cancer in humans. Short-term inhalation exposure to benzene also may cause drowsiness, dizziness, headaches, as well as eye, skin, and respiratory tract irritation, and, at high levels, unconsciousness. Long-term inhalation exposure can cause various disorders in the blood, including reduced numbers of red blood cells and anemia in occupational settings. Reproductive effects have been reported for women exposed by inhalation to high levels, and adverse effects on the developing fetus have been observed in animal tests. VOCs along with NO X , play a major role in the atmospheric reactions that produce ozone, which is the primary constituent of smog. People with lung disease, children, older adults, and people who are active can be affected when ozone levels are unhealthy. Ground-level ozone exposure is linked to a variety of short-term health problems, including lung irritation and difficulty breathing, as well as long-term problems, such as permanent lung damage from repeated exposure, aggravated asthma, reduced lung capacity, and increased susceptibility to respiratory illnesses such as pneumonia and bronchitis. The Whiting Refinery is surrounded by communities with environmental justice concerns. This settlement is part of the Justice Department’s and EPA’s ongoing focus on assisting communities that have been historically marginalized and disproportionately exposed to pollution. This settlement also supports EPA’s National Enforcement and Compliance Initiative (NECI): Creating Cleaner Air for Communities by Reducing Excess Emissions of Harmful Pollutants. To learn more about this NECI /www.epa.gov/enforcement/national-enforcement-and-compliance-initiative-creating-cleaner-air-communities The State of Indiana assisted in the negotiations and is also a party to the settlement. The settlement is subject to a public comment period and final court approval. The consent decree will be available for viewing at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees .


title: Toledo man Sentenced to Prison for Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Ohio, Northern

body_text: TOLEDO – Zachary Ryan Balusik, 41, of Toledo, Ohio, was sentenced on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, to 168 months in prison by U.S. District Judge James R. Knepp, after he pleaded guilty to receipt and distribution of child pornography. Balusik was also sentenced to a lifetime of supervised release, $100 special assessment and ordered to pay restitution of $12,000. According to court documents, Balusik was identified entering online chat rooms that involved streaming videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children. On February 23, 2022, a search warrant was executed at Balusik’s residence in Toledo, Ohio where electronic devices were seized and found to contain child pornography. This child pornography depicted prepubescent children. Balusik, who was a supervisory nurse at a local hospital, admitted to investigators that he had been downloading and viewing child pornography for more than ten years. The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Toledo, Ohio. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Tangeman and Department of Justice Trial Attorney Charles Schmitz.


title: Felon sentenced for washateria carjacking and shooting

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 31-year-old local man has been sent to prison for carjacking and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Zachary Smith, Houston, pleaded guilty Feb. 21. Today, Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane handed Smith a 41-month-term of imprisonment for the carjacking and another 120 months for the firearms charge which must be served consecutively to the other sentenced imposed. The total 161-month-sentence will be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that described the Smith’s criminal history. On Feb. 6, Smith discharged a firearm while carjacking the victim and stealing his vehicle in the parking lot of a washateria on Melbourne Drive. He was also involved in a shooting Feb. 7 on the 2000 block of Broadway Street. On that day, Smith led law enforcement in a pursuit that came to an end when he crashed into a patrol unit. Smith has been and will remain in custody. The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Texas Department of Public Safety, Houston Police Department and Harris County Sherriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Britni Cooper is prosecuting the case.