title: Jury Finds Lewiston Man Guilty of Making Violent Threats to Kill Local Prosecutor, Defense Attorney, and Commit Mass Murder

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Spokane, Washington – United States Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref announced that a jury returned a verdict in the trial of Trevor J. Lunney, age 39. Lunney was found guilty of making threats to kill his lawyer, his prosecutor, and members of the public. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial in July of 2022, while on Washington State community custody for a previous conviction involving threats to kill, Lunney texted his state Department of Corrections (DOC) community corrections officer, among other threatening statements, that “. . . in 19 days, mass violence becomes inevitable.” Lunney also discussed with his DOC officer his plan to commit a school shooting at an Asotin County School District School he stated would be “Sandy Hook Part II” and to commit a mass shooting at a parade at the Asotin County Fair. Upon being contacted by DOC officers, on July 18, 2022, Lunney continued to make specific threats regarding his plans to commit a mass shooting and, upon being evaluated by a mental health professional issued additional threats including his five-year-plan to “right injustice” by going to the Asotin County Fair Parade and live streaming his opening fire on a crowd. Lunney also made repeated statements regarding his access to firearms at that time. Later that same day, July 18, 2022, Lunney was arrested by the Clarkston Police Department for his threats to commit mass shootings and was taken into custody at the Asotin County Jail where he remained in custody on felony charges, brought by the Asotin County Prosecutor’s Office, for his threats. Over a period of months while in the Asotin County Jail on the charges for the July threats, Lunney made a series of calls and emails and sent letters to family members and others, all of which he was told were being closely monitored at that time by law enforcement. In his monitored in custody communications, Lunney repeatedly expressed his anger towards the criminal justice system in general and the assigned Asotin County deputy prosecutor as well as his own defense attorney in particular. Lunney also repeatedly discussed his plans to obtain an AR-15 and commit mass murder based upon his specific plans to “do pure evil to countless souls.” On December 5th, 2022, while awaiting trial for the July threats, Lunney’s anger towards the local criminal justice system culminated in an email he sent from the Asotin County Jail where he stated, “I want to have a murder-suicide with my lawyer when I leave here. . .” and “I want to kill my lawyer and the prosecutors when I get out. . .” referencing “attacking a crowd” and that stating that “I can’t even say what I have planned.” United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice presided over the two-day trial for Lunney, which began December 9, 2024. Sentencing in this matter is set for March 13, 2025, at 10:00 am in Spokane, Washington. “Mr. Lunney made terrifying threats to commit violence to include murdering his lawyer, the Asotin County Prosecutor, and plans to carry out a mass shooting targeting people at public events and children attending school,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “The verdict announced today will keep Mr. Lunney in prison and will hopefully allow him to get the mental health treatment he needs. I am thankful for the investigators and prosecutors who successfully tried this case and work every day to keep our communities safe and strong.” “Threats of violence have serious consequences as they disrupt lives, incite fear, and post significant risks to the community,” said Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha of the Salt Lake City FBI. “The FBI takes all threats of violence very seriously and will work alongside our partners to keep our communities safe.” This case was investigated by the FBI. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tyler H.L. Tornabene and Dan Fruchter. 2:23-cr-00083-TOR


title: Meth, fentanyl trafficking send Helena man to prison for more than 11 years

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

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A federal judge today sentenced a Helena man to 11 years and eight months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl in the community, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. The defendant, Christopher Paris Stockdale, 34, pleaded guilty in August to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute meth and fentanyl. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. “Stockdale, armed with a gun, worked with others to bring these poisons into Helena. His conduct had the potential to seriously injure or kill thousands of users, but with today’s sentence, he is no longer a risk to our community for a long time. We will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute drug traffickers like Stockdale to ensure they end up in federal prison with him,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said. In court documents, the government alleged that Stockdale possessed multiple firearms and was responsible for importing thousands of fentanyl pills and pounds of meth into the state. Stockdale committed these crimes while on state parole for drug offense. In the spring of 2023, drug task force officers in Helena developed information that Stockdale was working with others to supply various narcotics in the community. The investigation led to Stockdale being detained on parole violations. In a search of his truck, law enforcement located several hundred fentanyl pills, more than 100 grams of meth, a 9mm pistol and several rounds of ammunition. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Missouri River Drug Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. 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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN . XXX


title: Law enforcement seeks information related to 1989 rape

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: DAYTON, Ohio – A Sycamore Township man was arrested by federal agents today and charged with making false statements related to a 1989 rape. Officials ask anyone with information regarding this or any other similar rape to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI. It is alleged that Frederick Louis Tanzer, 66, knowingly made a false statement to FBI agents. His home on Kenwood Road and vehicles were searched today, and Tanzer appeared in federal court in Dayton following his arrest. According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Tanzer was recently identified as the prime suspect in the cold-case rape. In recent months, agents collected DNA evidence from a Starbucks cup that Tanzer discarded at a local BMV. The DNA extracted from Tanzer’s coffee cup was confirmed by a forensic laboratory as a match to the DNA the rapist had left at the 1989 crime scene. It is alleged that Tanzer made several materially false statements to federal investigators when approached today, including denying having seen or interacted with the victim on the date she was raped. Tanzer is a medical doctor who has lived and practiced medicine in Ohio, Kansas and Colorado. The affidavit details that on Aug. 1, 1989, the victim was violently raped in her condominium on Creighton Place in Cincinnati after arriving home from work. Federal law enforcement officials ask the public to consider these circumstances of the rape and to contact the FBI with any similar information: When the victim arrived home, she noticed an odor that smelled to her like brewed tea or burnt marijuana. The rapist was dressed from head to toe in black Lycra, including black gloves and a face mask. He had a black gym bag with him. The assailant held a knife to the victim’s throat. The rapist used white surgical tape from the gym bag to wrap around the victim’s eyes and head. He used stockings and panty hose from the victim’s dresser to bind her hands and feet to the headboard and footboard of her bed. The rapist cut or tore the victim’s clothing and used Vaseline. The rapist assaulted the victim vaginally, orally and anally. In between bouts of sexual conduct, the assailant used a cloth to wipe the victim’s mouth and genital areas. The rapist said nothing during the entire encounter. He occasionally took breaks from sexually assaulting the victim while the victim remained tied to her bed. The rapist listened to and erased answering machine messages. He looked through papers in the victim’s living room and rummaged through her purse. He unplugged and/or disconnected telephones. On the handset of the telephone in the bedroom, the rapist taped a piece of newspaper that had been cut from the paper on the couch in the victim’s living room and wrote, “No police or I’ll be back Mis [sic] [name of victim’s employer]” The victim described the rapist as white, with dark brown hair, approximately six feet tall with a thin or athletic build. The assault took place over the course of more than five and a half hours. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Cincinnati Division; and Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa A. Theetge announced the arrest. The IRS-Criminal Investigation Cincinnati Field Office assisted in the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Kelly K. Rossi and Julie D. Garcia are representing the United States in this case. A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. # # #


title: Spokane Fraudster Sentenced to More than 3 Years in Federal Prison for Operating a Cryptocurrency Investment Scheme and Defrauding Investors of More than $350,000

body_text: Spokane, Washington – On December 11, 2024, United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Michael Joseph McElhiney, age 38, formerly of Spokane, Washington, to 41 months in federal prison in connection to cryptocurrency scheme where he defrauded investors of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Judge Rice also imposed 3 years of supervised release, $326,119.95 in restitution, and ordered Mr. McElhiney to be immediately remanded to the custody of the United States Marshals Service following the hearing. According to court documents and information presented at sentencing, McElhiney defrauded investors by pretending to operate a cryptocurrency investment fund known as MAC Blockchain Solutions. As part of his scheme, which occurred between March 4, 2021, and September 10, 2022, McElhiney promised prospective investors that he and his purported business partners ran a successful cryptocurrency investment fund that invested in emerging cryptocurrencies and other blockchain-based projects, such as Ethereum staking and cryptocurrency liquidity pools. McElhiney typically contacted his victims in person. For example, he solicited individuals working as Uber drivers whom he met while taking Uber rides in their vehicles, as well as women whom he met through dating apps. McElhiney also met victims online playing the video game “Call of Duty” under the username “Bing Bong.” McElhiney often met with victims several times and developed personal relationships with them before successfully soliciting and receiving funds. McElhiney promised to invest his victims’ money and manage their investments for his victims’ benefit. For example, McElhiney promised certain returns on victims’ investments and always assured investors they could liquidate their investments and get their money back at any time. McElhiney then sent investors information using a platform called Coin.FYI that purported to track the progress of their investments. In actuality, McElhiney never invested the funds provided by investors, but instead kept the funds for his own personal use, specifically to gamble at casinos, among other purposes. The purported Coin.FYI accounts that McElhiney showed investors did not correspond to any actual investment funds but instead were fabricated figures intended to convince investors that McElhiney had invested their funds and that the investments were appreciating in value. McElhiney defrauded investors of more than $350,000 in this manner, including defrauding investors not only of cash but also of rare art and precious metals. McElhiney continued to falsely and fraudulently represent to victims that their assets had been invested in a cryptocurrency fund when victims sought to remove their assets from the “fund.” McElhiney falsely and fraudulently represented that he could not timely return victims’ assets because, among other reasons: MAC Solutions had experienced security breaches; McElhiney was out of the country and unable to facilitate withdrawals; McElhiney and MAC Blockchain Solutions had been the victims of theft; payment processing platforms had paused withdrawals; and there were other delays in processing withdrawals. “Investors, trusting Mr. McElhiney with their money, art, and precious metals expected a safe return on their investment. Instead, Mr. McElhiney stole their money and used it for his own purposes. When investors asked for their money back, Mr. McElhiney lied to perpetuate the fraud, stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “I’m devastated for the victims who suffered financial and emotional consequences of Mr. McElhiney’s scheme, and am grateful for the skilled investigators with Homeland Security Investigations and the Spokane Police Department and dedicated prosecutors in my office that uncovered this scheme and worked diligently to hold Mr. McElhiney accountable for his actions.” "Today’s sentencing serves as a clear reminder that those who prey on the trust of others through fraudulent schemes will be held accountable,” said Matthew Murphy, acting Special Agent in Charge, HSI Seattle. “This individual exploited the allure of digital currency to deceive and steal from countless investors. We remain committed to investigating and prosecuting those who attempt to manipulate others for personal gain, regardless of the platform or technology they use. We appreciate the tireless work of our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring individuals like McElhiney to justice.” This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Spokane Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Fruchter. 2:23-cr-00082-TOR


title: Erie Resident Sentenced to 21 Years in Prison for Leading Large-Scale Methamphetamine Trafficking Organization

body_text: JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to 252 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, on his convictions of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, conspiracy to commit money laundering, unlawful possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on John Christopher Bisbee, 44. According to information presented to the Court in connection with the defendant’s guilty plea, between July 2019 and June 2020, Bisbee participated in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Specifically, Bisbee led and directed a drug trafficking organization that operated in Erie and surrounding areas, including across the border with New York, and obtained kilogram quantities of methamphetamine that he distributed to others. Through a source of supply in Atlanta, Bisbee imported dozens of kilograms of methamphetamine at a time, packaged it for final distribution, and provided it to a network of co-conspirators below him to sell and collect proceeds from the drugs. During the execution of a search warrant at Bisbee’s residence, law enforcement agents seized two handguns and more than 100 rounds of ammunition. Under federal law, Bisbee is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition based on previous felony convictions for drug trafficking. Bisbee further admitted that he possessed the firearms in furtherance of the instant federal drug trafficking crime. In addition to the methamphetamine conspiracy, Bisbee also admitted to conspiring to commit money laundering by using cash proceeds from drug sales to purchase real estate in the Erie area. In connection with Bisbee’s plea, the defendant further agreed to forfeit over $305,000 in cash and jewelry that was seized during the investigation. Bisbee’s sentencing follows that of co-defendant Alexis Brolin Jr. in September 2024, who was sentenced to 204 months in prison. Brolin directed the drug trafficking organization’s activity in Clearfield and surrounding areas. “John Bisbee was a major methamphetamine trafficker in the Erie area whose network stretched across northwestern and central Pennsylvania and into New York,” said U.S. Attorney Olshan. “Drugs and firearms are too often a deadly combination in our communities, and today’s 21-year sentence—along with Alexis Brolin’s recent 17-year sentence—reflect our collective resolve at all levels of law enforcement to pursue the most dangerous offenders in this district with the full weight of federal law.” “Bisbee received a severe sentence in federal prison for leading a large-scale methamphetamine trafficking organization,” said Thomas Hodnett, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Philadelphia Field Division. “This investigation exemplifies how collaboration with our law enforcement partners safeguards our communities against criminal organizations.” “The Pennsylvania State Police thank Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon, with whom we have a longstanding relationship, for the exceptional prosecution of both these individuals,” said Lieutenant Scott A. Bauer, Criminal Investigation Section Commander for the Pennsylvania State Police, Troop C. “These sentences are the result of a tremendous amount of effort put forth by members of our Troop C, G, and A Vice Units, along with the DEA, and I would like to commend and recognize the hard work of all of the troopers, agents, and task force officers who played a role during this significant investigation. The coordinated efforts of multiple law enforcement agencies and their members made the results of this investigation possible.” Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Drug Enforcement Administration and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Bisbee. Additional agencies participating in this investigation included the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation; United States Postal Inspection Service; Homeland Security Investigations; Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General; Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office; Erie County District Attorney’s Office; Millcreek Police Department; Erie Bureau of Police, and other local law enforcement agencies. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: California CEO Pleads Guilty to Employment Tax Crimes

component: Tax Division

body_text: A California man pleaded guilty today to not paying employment taxes to the IRS. According to court documents and statements made in court, John Comeau, of Santa Clara, was the CEO of Vivid Inc., a company that provided metal coating services across various industries in Campbell, California, and elsewhere. From at least the first quarter of 2010 through the end of 2019, Vivid withheld Social Security, Medicare and income taxes from the wages paid to its employees. However, Comeau, who was responsible for ensuring those funds were reported and paid to the IRS, did not do so. In total, Comeau caused a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $1,150,000. Comeau is scheduled to be sentenced on April 30, 2025. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey for the Northern District of California made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Trial Attorney Mahana Weidler of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ilham Hosseini for the Northern District of California are prosecuting the case.


title: Long Island Medical Doctor Convicted of Illegally Distributing Oxycodone Pills

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: A federal jury in Central Islip returned a guilty verdict today against Roya Jafari-Hassad, a medical doctor with a practice in Great Neck, Long Island, on eight counts of a second superseding indictment charging her with prescribing oxycodone pills without a legitimate medical purpose. The verdict followed a 10-day trial before United States District Judge Gary R. Brown. When sentenced, Dr. Jafari-Hassad faces up to 20 years in prison on each count. The defendant was acquitted of witness tampering charges. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Frank A Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, New York Division (DEA) and Naomi Gruchacz, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General’s Office of Investigations, New York Region (HHS-OIG), announced the verdict. “As proven, Dr. Hassad was a drug dealer who disgracefully dispensed highly addictive oxycodone pills without any regard for the well-being of the patient but with plenty of interest in their cash,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Corrupt doctors like this defendant, who value greed over their oath to do no harm, fuel the opioid epidemic and my Office is committed to holding them accountable for the incalculable harm they have caused.” “Dr. Roya Jafari-Hassad knowingly prescribed opioids without cause, and with a possible life of addiction. Dr Jafari-Hassad knew the harmful effects opioids could have on and not only jeopardized their health, but the patient’s future as well.” stated DEA New York Special Agent in Charge Tarentino. “Today, the jury recognized her actions of putting profit and greed over her oath to protect the health and safety of her patients, all while exacerbating the opioid crisis.” “The defendant convicted in this case is a physician who knowingly prescribed controlled substances illegally, which is especially egregious given the ongoing opioid epidemic,” stated HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Gruchacz. “HHS-OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure individuals involved in schemes that threaten patient safety are held accountable.” Oxycodone is a scheduled controlled substance that may be dispensed by medical professionals only for a legitimate medical purpose in the usual course of a doctor’s professional practice. It is a powerful and highly addictive drug and is frequently abused because of its potency when crushed into a powder and ingested, leading to a heroin-like euphoria. As proven at trial, Dr. Hassad charged hundreds of dollars in cash in exchange for a monthly oxycodone prescription which had no legitimate medical purpose. In the spring of 2021, law enforcement opened an investigation into Dr. Hassad’s conduct. Over nine months and 10 appointments that were tape-recorded, Dr. Hassad gave an undercover detective, who claimed he had pain, ten prescriptions for oxycodone totaling hundreds of oxycodone pills for which he paid thousands of dollars in cash. Dr. Hassad typically charged about $350 for a 15-day supply of oxycodone and about $700 for a 30-day supply of oxycodone. The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles P. Kelly and Katherine Onyshko are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Samantha Schroder. The Defendant : ROYA JAFARI-HASSAD Age: 58 Bayside, Queens E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-545(S-2) (GRB)


title: Florida Resident Indicted for Political Fundraising Fraud

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., returned an indictment yesterday charging Jason Pallante, 52, of Orlando, Florida, with defrauding political donors by operating numerous political fundraising websites that fraudulently promised to support presidential candidates and instead using the money he raised to enrich himself. According to the indictment, Pallante operated the America Great PAC, purportedly a Super PAC able to receive unlimited contributions to finance independent expenditures and other independent political activity. During the 2023 — 2024 presidential primary season, Pallante created dozens of websites that claimed to support various specific candidates for president. Pallante allegedly designed these websites to appear affiliated with a particular candidate or campaign, such as by using photos of the candidate, first-person language, and the same font as the candidate’s campaign. Pallante also accepted checks made out directly to presidential candidates or their campaigns. Pallante directed all of the contributions to America Great PAC. According to the indictment, Pallante raised hundreds of thousands of dollars from these websites and did not use any of the money to support the advertised presidential candidates. Instead, Pallante allegedly used contributions to perpetuate the scheme and to pay himself more than $162,000 in 2023 and $334,000 in 2024. Pallante is charged with three counts of mail fraud and four counts of wire fraud. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia; and Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Washington Field Office is investigating the case. Trial Attorney Jacob R. Steiner of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Gold for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Former U.S. Postal Service Employee Sentenced for Federal Mail Crime after Guilty Plea

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Tiffany Isenhart, 31, of Rainelle, pleaded guilty today to theft of government property and was sentenced to one year and six months of federal probation and ordered to pay $3,380 in restitution. According to court documents and statements made in court, between on or about December 1, 2023, and April 16, 2024, Isenhart stole $3,380 in money orders while employed at the Charmco Post Office and converted them to her own use. Isenhart admitted that she used her position as a United States Postal Service employee to issue the money orders to herself without paying for them or paying the associated fees. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service-Office of Inspector General. United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing and imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander A. Redmon 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. 5:24-cr-170. ###


title: Twenty-Year-Old Felon who Illegally Possessed a Firearm in Cedar Rapids Sentenced to Federal Prison

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A convicted felon who illegally possessed a firearm was sentenced December 10, 2024, to 78 months in federal prison. Garnett Adam Propst, age 20, from Burlington, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 26, 2024 guilty plea to two counts of aiding and abetting false statements during the purchase of a firearm and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. On September 12, 2023, while Propst was on high-risk supervision for a prior state felony offense, and prohibited from possessing firearms, he obtained and possessed a Beretta handgun. Propst then later used that firearm on September 30, 2023, firing multiple shots into a residence in Cedar Rapids. After the “shots fired” incident, Propst provided the firearm to Lawrence Lamar Newell, who was also a felon. Propst was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Propst was sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Propst is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. 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. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-CR- 00026. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Jury Convicts Cedar Rapids Felon for Possessing a Gun

body_text: A man who possessed a firearm as a felon was convicted by a jury today after a three-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids. David Rafael Walker, age 37, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of one count of possession of a firearm as a felon. The verdict was returned this afternoon following about two hours of jury deliberations. The evidence at trial showed that on December 14, 2021, at an apartment complex in Cedar Rapids, Walker shot at a woman and her young daughter. Three days later, Walker was driving around Cedar Rapids when he became involved in another shooting. When law enforcement officers located Walker and the car he had been driving, Walker fled. In the car, under Walker’s seat, officers found a firearm and a bag of marijuana. Walker’s DNA was on the firearm. Walker had multiple prior felony convictions, including for delivery of heroin and eluding. 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. Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Walker remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Walker faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Nydle, Devra Hake, and Dan Tvedt, and it was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force. The task force is composed of representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, and the Marion Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-CR-65. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Mississippi Seafood Distributor and Managers Sentenced for Conspiracy and Misbranding Seafood

component: USAO - Mississippi, Southern

body_text: Gulfport, MS – A Mississippi seafood distributor and two company managers were sentenced for conspiring with others to mislabel seafood and to commit wire fraud by marketing inexpensive and frozen imported substitutes as more expensive and premium local species. Quality Poultry and Seafood Inc. (QPS), the largest seafood wholesaler on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, was sentenced to 5 years of probation and ordered to pay the United States $1 million in forfeitures and a $500,000 criminal fine. The Court also ordered that QPS maintain for five years records describing the species, sources, and cost of the seafood it acquires for sale to its customers; that QPS must make these records available to any federal, state, or local governmental authority that regulates or monitors the service and distribution of food for human consumption and to any such agency that regulates the harvesting, storage, labeling, or sale of seafood; and that QPS shall answer truthfully any inquiry from any governmental agency and from any customer as to the species, source, and cost of any seafood it prepares, serves, sells, or advertises for sale. QPS sales manager Todd A. Rosetti and business manager James W. Gunkel, both of Ocean Springs, were also sentenced today for misbranding seafood to facilitate QPS’ fraud. Rosetti was ordered to serve 8 months in prison followed by 180 days of home detention, one year of supervised release, and 100 hours of community service. Gunkel was sentenced to 2 years of probation, 12 months of home detention and 50 hours of community service. “This large-scale scheme to misbrand imported seafood as local Gulf Coast seafood hurt local fishermen and consumers,” said U.S. Attorney Todd Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi. “These criminal convictions should put restaurants and wholesalers on notice that they must be honest with customers about what is actually being sold.” “U.S. consumers expect their seafood to be correctly identified. When sellers purposefully substitute one fish species for another, they deceive consumers and cause potential food safety hazards to be overlooked or misidentified by processors or end users,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Kerry Mannion, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Miami Field Office. “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice those who put profits above public health.” In August 2024, QPS pled guilty to participating in a fish substitution scheme from as early as 2002 and continuing through November 2019. QPS recommended and sold to its restaurant customers foreign-sourced fish that could serve as convincing substitutes for the local species the restaurants advertised on their menus. QPS also labeled the cheap imports that it sold to customers at its own retail shop and café as premium local fish. According to court documents, even after agents from the FDA executed a criminal search warrant at QPS to investigate its sale of mislabeled fish, QPS continued for over a year to sell frozen fish imported from Africa, South America, and India for use as substitutes for local premium species. Mary Mahoney’s, which pleaded guilty in May and was sentenced in November, admitted that between December 2013 and November 2019, it fraudulently sold, as local premium species, approximately 58,750 pounds (over 29 tons) of fish that was not the species identified on its menu. QPS supplied seafood to Mary Mahoney’s and many other restaurants and retailers. The Food and Drug Administration - Office of Criminal Investigations investigated the case in conjunction with the Mississippi Marine Patrol, a Division of the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea C. Jones and Senior Trial Attorney Jeremy F. Korzenik of the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division prosecuted the case.


title: Utah Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud Schemes

body_text: A Salt Lake City man pleaded guilty today to wire fraud, impersonating a federal officer, aggravated identity theft and making false statements. According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2018 through 2020, Santiago Garcia Gutierrez defrauded a victim of more than $2.8 million by falsely promising he could acquire at discounted prices exotic cars, planes and vessels that had been seized by the U.S. government through forfeiture. Garcia falsely induced the victim to use him as an intermediary to receive the money the victim believed was being used to purchase the non-existent luxury assets. To lure his victim into participating in the scheme, Garcia contacted the victim on numerous occasions via text message from multiple phone numbers, falsely claiming to be a confidential government informant, federal agent or Garcia’s own attorney. In addition, from 2019 through 2024, Garcia defrauded eight additional victims across the country. To execute those frauds, Garcia induced victims to invest money into federal oil wells in which he had an ownership interest, promising large returns on investment. The victims never realized any profits, however, because Garcia diverted the investment funds for his own benefit. To effectuate these schemes and to lend them legitimacy, Garcia again assumed the identity of his attorney. In total, Garcia defrauded these victims of more than $775,000. Finally, Garcia also did not pay royalties to the federal government on the sale of oil extracted from the wells, despite knowing that he had a duty to do so. Garcia is scheduled to be sentenced on May 19, 2025. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud, a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count of making a false statement, a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count of impersonating a federal officer and a mandatory minimum of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins for the District of Utah and Special Agent in Charge Carissa Messick of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI)’s Phoenix Field Office made the announcement. IRS-CI, the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General and the Environmental Protection Agency are investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Richard M. Rolwing and Erika V. Suhr of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.


title: New Haven Gang Member Involved in 2 Murders and Other Shootings Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in Prison

body_text: ANTWAN HILL, also known as “Bandz,” 20, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 215 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for participating in a violent New Haven street gang and multiple gang-related shootings that resulted in two deaths. Today’s announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; John P. Doyle, Jr., State’s Attorney for the New Haven Judicial District; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England; and New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson. According to court documents and statements made in court, in an effort to address violence in New Haven, the ATF, FBI, DEA and New Haven Police Department, working closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office, have been investigating an ongoing gang war between members and associates of the Exit 8 street gang and rival gangs in the Hill section and other areas of the city. The Exit 8 gang is named after the geographic area accessed by exiting Interstate 91 at Exit 8 in New Haven. Recently, younger members of Exit 8 are identifying themselves with the word “Honcho,” which is derived from the street name of an Exit 8 member who was murdered on Quinnipiac Avenue in February 2020. The investigation revealed that Hill and other members of the Exit 8 gang engaged in drug trafficking, used, and shared firearms, and, since June 2018, have committed at least three murders and 16 attempted murders. Exit 8 members and associates also stole vehicles, at times from outside of the state, and used those stolen vehicles when committing acts of violence. Gang members also promoted, coordinated, facilitated, and celebrated their narcotics distribution and acts of violence through text messaging and the use of social media applications and websites including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube. On April 18, 2024, Hill pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity, and specifically admitted that he took part in four gang-related shootings, which resulted in two deaths. On September 26, 2020, Hill and another Exit 8 gang member shot and attempted to kill a member and associate of a rival gang. On May 19, 2021, Hill and other Exit 8 members conspired to kill rival gang members, including a rival gang member who was shot and killed on that date by another Exit 8 member. On July 5, 2021, Hill and another Exit 8 member shot and killed an individual. On April 12, 2022, Hill and another Exit 8 member shot and attempted to kill rival gang members. Hill has been detained since August 3, 2023. This investigation is being conducted by ATF, the FBI, the DEA, the New Haven Police Department, the Hamden Police Department, and the New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police and the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis. This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs. PSN is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Westwego Woman Sentenced For Theft of Government Funds

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that PENELOPE PASSERO (“PASSERO”) , age 50, of Westwego, Louisiana, was sentenced on December 10, 2024 for Theft of Government Funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641. According to court documents, from February 2016 to December 2020, PASSERO knowingly accessed and converted approximately $59,320.97 in Social Security Administration and Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES ACT”) funds. United States District Judge Wendy B. Vitter sentenced PASSERO to time served as to Count 1 of the Indictment. PASSERO was also sentenced to three (3) years supervised release, payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee and restitution in the amount of $59,320.97. On May 17, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources, and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of fraud related to COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the Social Security Administration, Office of the 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: Former Employee Pleads Guilty in Scheme to Defraud Illinois Nursing and Rehabilitation Facility

component: Civil Division

body_text: A former scheduler of Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) at an Illinois nursing and rehabilitation facility pleaded guilty in federal court to fraud charges in connection with the hiring and payment of “ghost” employees who never actually worked at the facility. Alisha Richardson pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. In pleading guilty, the defendant admitted that, from roughly October 2017 through April 2019, she was employed as a CNA scheduler at a nursing and rehabilitation facility in Forest Park that provided medical benefits and services to patients. While employed at the facility, Richardson planned, organized, and executed a scheme to defraud the facility by making it appear that at least five individuals were employed at the facility when they were not (the “ghost” employees). Richardson submitted false time sheets and other documents, causing the facility to generate paychecks for these “ghost” employees. Richardson then split the proceeds with the “ghost” employees or forged their signatures, signing over the paychecks to herself. As a result of the fraud, the facility paid approximately $103,094.01 for work that was never performed. In the plea agreement, the defendant agreed to the entry of a forfeiture judgment for that amount. “The defendant in this case stole money that should have been used to provide nursing and rehabilitative care to older Americans,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department will vigorously investigate and prosecute those who commit crimes that affect programs that benefit vulnerable Americans.” “The defendant’s ghost payrolling scheme resulted in a substantial loss for an organization that provides critical services to elderly Americans,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual for the Northern District of Illinois. “We will continue to investigate, prosecute, and hold accountable anyone who attempts to scam their employer out of payroll funds.” “Financial fraud and abuse take critical resources out of our health care system and defrauds the American public,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Douglas S. DePodesta of the FBI Chicago Field Office. “This case is the result of successful, multi-agency collaboration into the defendant’s scheme. The FBI and our partners will continue to allocate significant resources to investigate crimes like these and protect the integrity of our federal health care programs.” “Our agency is committed to ensuring that federal health care programs are protected from all types of fraud, waste and abuse. Providers who submit fraudulent records and bill for “ghost” services damage our federal health care programs and the beneficiaries they serve,” said Special Agent in Charge Mario M. Pinto of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate any similar allegations of fraud.” Richardson pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Jorge L. Alonso in Chicago, Illinois. A sentencing date will be set by the court. In addition to the forfeiture judgment, she faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000 and three years of supervised release. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the matter. Senior Trial Attorney James T. Nelson of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason A. Julien for the Northern District of Illinois are prosecuting the case. For more information about the enforcement efforts of the Consumer Protection Branch visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch .


title: Detroit Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Edward Keith Perkins, 31, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to attempted possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 19, 2024, Perkins shipped a box containing approximately 4.43 kilograms of methamphetamine from California to a Virginia Street address on the West Side of Charleston, West Virginia. On August 22, 2024, Perkins drove to the Virginia Street address. Law enforcement approached the vehicle Perkins was driving after a passenger in the vehicle retrieved the package from the porch of the residence and placed it in the vehicle’s trunk. Perkins fled the vehicle when the officers approached but was later apprehended. Perkins admitted that the package contained approximately 50 grams of fentanyl in addition to the 4.43 kilograms of methamphetamine. Perkins is scheduled to be sentenced on March 6, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT). MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys JC MacCallum and Alexander A. Redmon are prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-158. ###


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 a person named as defendant in an indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. THREE CHARGED WITH ILLEGALLY POSSESSING FIREARMS AS FELONS In separate cases, two Wisconsin men and one Wisconsin woman are charged with illegally possessing firearms as felons. Terrance Moore III, 27, Madison, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing a loaded .40 caliber S&W handgun on June 8, 2024. Dustin T. Cullins, 37, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing a .40 caliber Smith and Wesson handgun and Sellier and Bellot .40 caliber ammunition, on July 1, 2024. May X. Kong, 41, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing a loaded SCCY CPX-2 9mm handgun on July 4, 2024. If convicted, Moore, Cullins, and Kong each face a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. The charge against Moore is the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from local agencies including the Dane County and Clark County Sheriff’s Offices and the Fitchburg, Madison, Sun Prairie, and La Crosse Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Levins is handling the case. The charge against Cullins is the result of an investigation by the West Central Drug Task Force and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lennon is handling the case. The charge against Kong is the result of an investigation conducted by the Eau Claire Police Department, the West Central Drug Taskforce, the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force also assisted with the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Levins is handling the case. MADISON MAN CHARGED FOR RECEIVING FIREARM WHILE UNDER INDICTMENT Deovion Baker, 19, Madison, Wisconsin, is charged with illegally receiving a firearm while under indictment for another felony offense. The indictment alleges that Baker received a Glock 23 .40 caliber handgun loaded with .40 caliber ammunition on November 17, 2024. If convicted, Baker faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison. The charge against Baker is the result of investigation by the Madison Police Department and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan is handling the case. EAU CLAIRE MAN CHARGED WITH TRAFFICKING METHAMPHETAMINE AND ILLEGALLY POSSESSING FIREARM AND AMMUNITION John A. Soung, 47, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing more than 500 grams of methamphetamine intended for distribution and illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon. The indictment alleges that Soung possessed the methamphetamine on July 11, 2024. The indictment further alleges that he possessed a Taurus 9mm handgun and Federal 9mm ammunition on July 12, 2024. If convicted of the methamphetamine charge, Soung faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison. The firearms charge carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. The charges against Soung are the result of an investigation conducted by the Eau Claire Police Department, the West Central Drug Taskforce, the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force also assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Levins is handling the case. All cases involving firearms are brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.


title: Milwaukee Woman Sentenced to 19 Years in Federal Prison for Sex Trafficking of Multiple Victims by Force, Fraud, and Coercion

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced on December 11, 2024, that Colette A. Mahan (age 41), a.k.a. “Pimpin’ Amanda,” of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, had been sentenced to 19 years in federal prison for sex trafficking. On May 23, 2024, Mahan entered a guilty plea to one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1591(a)(1) & 1591(b)(1). According to court records and filings in the case, Mahan trafficked numerous female victims, including minors as young as 14 years old, over a period of at least 17 years using a combination of false promises, threats, and extreme physical violence. Filings also show that Mahan made her victims solicit sex dates at strip clubs, hotels, bars, casinos, and street tracks across Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Indiana, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Kentucky, Florida, and Nevada, and she demanded that they give her everything they earned. Though Mahan had many prior arrests, this case marks her first felony conviction and prison sentence. At the sentencing hearing, United States District Court Judge Brett H. Ludwig explained that Mahan’s crimes were incredibly serious, noting that Mahan knew or should have known the devastating impact her actions would have on her victims because she herself had been victimized in a similar way during her teenage years. Judge Ludwig described how Mahan beat young women and girls into selling their bodies and how their suffering financed luxuries for Mahan, including a Porsche. Judge Ludwig also emphasized that sex trafficking has been particularly problematic in Milwaukee and that a long prison sentence was appropriate to deter others from engaging in this type of conduct. “For many years, Ms. Mahan sought to dehumanize others for her own financial benefit,” stated U.S. Attorney Haanstad. “I commend the courage and resilience shown by the victims when sharing the details of the abuse they suffered at Ms. Mahan’s hands. The 19-year sentence reflects their courage as well as the tireless and collaborative work by the FBI, the Milwaukee Police Department, and federal prosecutors in pursing justice in this case.” “The women and men of the FBI work tirelessly to stop individuals like Colette A. Mahan from exploiting and harming victims,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael Hensle of the FBI Milwaukee Field Office. “The sentence handed down sends a message to individuals who prey upon vulnerable women. The FBI, along with our law enforcement partners, is dedicated to bringing these individuals to justice.” This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Milwaukee Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Laura S. Kwaterski and Erica J. Lounsberry. # # # For further information contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov (414) 297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: SoCal Man Pleads Guilty to Hate Crime for Attack on Asian American Woman While Shouting Racial Slurs

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A Southern California man pleaded guilty to a federal hate crime for punching an Asian American woman in the head in Culver City while shouting racial slurs at her. Jesse Lindsey, 38, a transient man whose last known address was in Fontana, pleaded guilty to one hate crime count. He has been in federal custody since July 18 and was in state prison on an unrelated conviction prior to then. “Hate-fueled acts of violence have no place in our society,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Enforcing civil rights goes to the core of my office’s mission and we will continue to prosecute hate crimes, especially those committed by individuals whose bigotry results in physical harm to victims.” “The facts of this case shock the conscience,” Akil Davis, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “Mr. Lindsey’s actions were heinous, despicable, and inhumane. Violating the civil rights of others by engaging in racial violence is antithetical to our values as Americans. The FBI is committed to investigating federal hate crimes and protecting civil rights. Members of the public are urged to report a potential hate crime to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or online at tips.fbi.gov.” According to his plea agreement, at approximately 1 a.m. on June 14, 2021, the victim was walking to work in Culver City when Lindsey, a white man, approached her and yelled at the victim, whom he perceived to be Asian, “You can’t say hi to a [expletive] white boy?” Lindsey then punched the victim in the head, causing her to fall into the street and hit her head. While the victim lay face down in the street, Lindsey shouted, “You hear what I said, [N-word]? I said good morning, bitch!” Emergency personnel later transported the victim to a hospital to treat injuries to her head and ear. The victim received approximately 11 stitches. During an interview about the attack, Lindsey made multiple derogatory and profane remarks about people of Asian descent. The plea agreement states that, among other things, Lindsey said the victim might “whoop” him because “those little dudes,” a reference to Asian men, are “[expletive] crazy” and “have fight in them.” Referencing the Asian actor known for practicing martial arts, Lindsey said that he thought the victim might pull “some Jet Li [expletive],” according to the plea agreement. “Our community’s rich cultural diversity is our strength, and we are dedicated to ensuring it remains a safe and welcoming environment for all,” said Culver City Police Chief Jason Sims. “I am proud of the work done by the Culver City Police Department in collaboration with the FBI and United States Attorney’s Office to seek justice for the victim in this case. We are resolute in working to hold the suspect in this case accountable for this egregious crime. Such acts of violence will not be tolerated in our neighborhoods.” United States District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald scheduled a March 3, 2025 sentencing hearing, at which time Lindsey will face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison. The FBI is investigating this case and received substantial assistance from the Culver City Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Lindsey Greer Dotson is prosecuting this case.


title: FBI Arrests Man Charged with Political Fundraising Fraud  Using a Scam PAC

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: WASHINGTON – Jason Pallante, 52, of Orlando, Florida, was arrested today by special agents with the FBI and other law enforcement partners on charges he operated numerous political fundraising websites and illegally took the money for his own use. Pallante is charged with three counts of mail fraud and four counts of wire fraud. The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and FBI Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the Washington Field Office. According to the federal indictment, returned on December 10 th and unsealed today, Pallante operated the America Great PAC purportedly as a Super PAC. During the presidential primary season, Pallante created dozens of websites that claimed to support various specific candidates for President, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars. Pallante allegedly designed these websites to appear affiliated with a particular candidate or campaign, such as by using photos of the candidate, first-person language, and the same font as the campaign. Pallante also accepted checks made out directly to presidential candidates or their campaigns. Unbeknownst to the contributors, all of this money was directed to America Great PAC. Pallante did not use the money raised from these websites to support the advertised presidential candidates. Instead, Pallante allegedly used contributions to perpetuate the scheme and pay himself more than $162,000 in 2023 and $334,000 in 2024. “Campaign finance scams – like the one alleged here – harm victims twice over, stealing their money and preventing them from using that money to support the causes and candidates of their choice,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “The Department and our Office will follow all the evidence and, with our law enforcement partners, prosecute these scams.” “Pallante allegedly defrauded voters who believed they were donating to presidential candidates, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for himself,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Sundberg. “As his indictment demonstrates, the FBI will pursue charges against fraudsters who seek to line their pockets by exploiting donors' participation in the political process.” If convicted, Pallante faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. This case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Gold for the District of Columbia, and Trial Attorney Jacob R. Steiner of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Stranger Rape and Kidnapping Results in Conviction for July 2023 Assault

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON –Ricky McNeil, 31 of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, of one count of kidnapping while armed, one count of first-degree sexual abuse with aggravated circumstances and one count of robbery, in a July 2023 assault on a stranger, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). McNeil was also found guilty of one count of assault with a dangerous weapon (knife), one count of possession of a prohibited weapon (knife), and one count of assault with significant bodily injury. The verdict was returned on December 11, 2024, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Michael O’Keefe presided over scheduled sentencing for February 14, 2025. McNeil faces a maximum sentence of life without the possibility of release. According to the government’s evidence, on July 26, 2023, as the victim was walking past the defendant, a stranger to her, on Benning Rd, NE, he asked her for a cigarette. She told him she was going to the store and would buy him one. McNeil then snatched her purse off her arm and ran toward the door of his nearby apartment. When he was entering, the victim tried to grab her purse back from McNeil, at which point he grabbed her wrist, pulled her inside and barricaded the sole door to the apartment. When the victim ran to a nearby window and yelled for help, McNeil grabbed her, threw her down and began punching her. He then took the victim into another room, ordered her to disrobe and perform oral sex on him, threatening to give her a “smiley face” with a knife he was holding if she refused. When he had forced the act upon her, she immediately bit him. At that point, McNeil punched her so hard in the mouth, splitting open her lip, and continued beating her. When McNeil got distracted by a phone, the victim jumped out the second-story window to escape. She ran, partially clad, to a nearby McDonald’s where a good Samaritan let her borrow a cell phone to call 911. Police responded to the scene but McNeil had already fled. When a search warrant was executed the following morning, the victim’s clothing and shoes were recovered from inside McNeil’s apartment, as well as her blood and his. In October 2023, McNeil was arrested on a warrant in Tampa, FL, and extradited back to DC, where he has been held without bond. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter V. Taylor and Molly K. Smith of the Sex Offense and Domestic Violence Section.


title: Bay Area CEO Pleads Guilty To Employment Tax Crimes

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN JOSE – A California man pleaded guilty today to not paying employment taxes to the IRS. According to court documents and statements made in court, John Comeau, of Santa Clara, was the CEO of Vivid, Inc., a company that provided metal coating services across various industries in Campbell and elsewhere. From at least the first quarter of 2010 through the end of 2019, Vivid withheld Social Security, Medicare, and income taxes from the wages paid to its employees. However, Comeau, who was responsible for ensuring those funds were reported and paid to the IRS, did not do so. In total, Comeau caused a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $1,150,000. Comeau is scheduled to be sentenced on Apr. 30, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey, Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, and IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Oakland Field Office Special Agent in Charge Linda Nguyen made the announcement. IRS-CI is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ilham Hosseini and Trial Attorney Mahana Weidler of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.


title: Springfield Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing and Manufacturing Semi-Automatic Rifles and Silencers

body_text: EUGENE, Ore.—A Springfield, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison Tuesday for illegally possessing and manufacturing over 100 semi-automatic firearms and silencers. Andrew Rogers, 40, was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. According to court documents, in 2022, the Lane County Sheriff’s Office received tips from concerned citizens that Rogers frequently purchased firearm parts. Investigators learned that in June 2022 alone, Rogers spent thousands of dollars on more than 120 firearm parts and accessories. On June 30, 2022, during a search of Rogers’ residence, investigators located 62 complete semi-automatic firearms, 45 silencers, several incomplete firearms, several hundred rounds of ammunition, and hundreds of firearm components, including magazines, triggers, and optic systems. Additionally, investigators found psilocybin, methamphetamine, a drill press, firearm manufacturing tools, and a 3D printer with a partially printed part for an AR15 rifle. Rogers’ wife estimated there were more than 100 firearms in the residence and that Rogers had manufactured most, if not all, of the firearms in his possession. The same morning, officers conducted a traffic stop of a motorcycle Rogers was operating and conducted a search of the backpack he was wearing. Inside, officers found methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, a knife, and a semi-automatic pistol without an identifiable serial number. Rogers was arrested and placed in custody. On July 1, 2022, investigators sought and obtained a search warrant for Rogers’ storage unit in Springfield, Oregon where they found 26 pistols, five rifles, four suppressors, and an assortment of firearm parts. A search of the Federal Licensing System (FLS) and National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (NFRTR) database systems returned no results for Rogers, meaning he was not licensed to manufacture, import, or sell firearms. The same day, Rogers was charged by criminal complaint with possessing controlled substances with the intent to distribute, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and unlawful possession of unregistered silencers. On August 13, 2024, Rogers pleaded guilty to illegally possessing and manufacturing silencers. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Lane County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Adam E. Delph, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.


title: Former CFO Of San Francisco Law Firms Admits To Years-Long Scheme To Steal More Than $1.3 Million From His Employers

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – A Palm Springs man pleaded guilty today to one count of bank fraud and one count of money laundering related to a years-long scheme to embezzle more than $1.3 million from his former employers, two San Francisco law firms. According to court documents, Tony Archuleta-Perkins, 48, formerly of San Francisco, held various roles at the firms, eventually becoming Chief Financial Officer (CFO). As the CFO, Archuleta-Perkins was in a position of trust and had access to the law firms’ payroll systems and end-to-end payments automation platforms. During the course of his employment, Archuleta-Perkins used this access to embezzle funds in various ways. The primary way that Archuleta-Perkins stole money from the law firms was to cause the firms to make false and fraudulent payments to a non-profit organization he had set up and solely controlled. Archuleta-Perkins admitted to stealing more than $1.1 million using this method. Archuleta-Perkins also embezzled funds from the law firms by falsely adding “one-time reimbursements” to his regular paychecks or special bonus payroll checks through the use of the law firms’ payroll software. He admitted to stealing more than $106,000 using this method. Archuleta-Perkins also admitted that he endorsed a $41,663.69 tax refund check made out to one of the law firms, deposited it into a bank account belonging to the non-profit, and then wrote himself a check for the same amount. As part of his plea agreement, Archuleta-Perkins admitted that he knew that the principal of one of the law firms was undergoing serious health issues that kept him out of the office, and that the principal’s physical condition made him unusually vulnerable and particularly susceptible to Archuleta-Perkins’s criminal conduct. In total, Archuleta-Perkins admitted that he was responsible for at least $1,321,752.72 in losses to his victims. Archuleta-Perkins used the stolen money for personal expenses, including payments on a Best Buy credit card. Archuleta-Perkins pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1344(2) and one count of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity (money laundering) in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1957. He faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison as to the bank fraud charge and a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison as to the money laundering charge. A federal district judge will determine and impose a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a). Archuleta-Perkins, who was arrested on June 28, 2024, remains free on a $500,000 bond and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 26, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. before the Honorable Jacqueline Scott Corley, U.S. District Judge. U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey for the Northern District of California and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) San Francisco Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nikhil Bhagat is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Madeline Wachs. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.


title: Salvadoran Citizen Sentenced for Fraud Offenses and Illegal Re-entry

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Jose Reyes-Acosta, age 49, of El Salvador, was sentenced today to serve 39 months imprisonment for illegally reentering the United States and fraudulently using the identifying information of a U.S. citizen to both obtain a U.S. passport and attempt to obtain a New York state identification card. Carla B. Freedman, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York; Joshua S. Levy, U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts; Thomas P. Brophy, Field Office Director, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), Buffalo, NY; and Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement. As part of his guilty plea, Reyes-Acosta admitted to illegally re-entering the U.S. after a prior deportation and, after his entry, purchasing stolen identifying documents that belonged to a U.S. citizen. Reyes-Acosta then used those documents in Massachusetts to fraudulently obtain a U.S. passport and a Massachusetts REAL ID. In 2023, Reyes-Acosta again used the documents to apply for a New York state identification card but was detected by law enforcement before the card was issued. Charges based on Reyes-Acosta’s Massachusetts conduct were indicted in the District of Massachusetts and later transferred to the Northern District of New York. Reyes-Acosta was sentenced to serve 39 months imprisonment and a $2,000.00 fine on five counts, including Illegal Re-Entry and Aggravated Identity Theft, which were charged in New York. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, ICE-ERO, and the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service, investigated the case with the help of the New York Department of Motor Vehicles- Division of Field Investigation, and the Utica Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Gillis prosecuted the case.


title: Federal Jury Convicts Wagoner County Resident Of Eight Counts Of Child Sexual Abuse

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Richard Leroy Osborn III, age 47, of Wagoner County, Oklahoma, was found guilty by a federal jury of eight counts of child sexual abuse, including five counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse and three counts of Abusive Sexual Contact. Two of the counts of conviction carry a mandatory sentence of life in prison. The jury trial began with testimony on December 9, 2024, and concluded on December 11, 2024, with the guilty verdicts. During the trial, the United States presented evidence that Osborn sexually assaulted three children starting in 2011 and continuing until May of 2022, when one of the children first disclosed the sexual abuse. Additionally, the United States presented evidence that Osborn, already a registered sex offender at the time of the crimes, had previously sexually abused three other victims when they were minors. The guilty verdicts were the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The crimes occurred in Wagoner County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservations, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The Honorable Kea W. Riggs, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court of New Mexico, sitting by assignment, presided over the trial in Muskogee, Oklahoma, and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. Osborn will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service until sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Morgan Muzljakovich and Nicole Paladino represented the United States.


title: Moore Resident Pleads Guilty To Federal Drug And Firearm Charges

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Charles Daniel Tow, age 34, of Moore, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition. The Indictment alleged that on June 6, 2024, Tow knowingly and intentionally possessed 40 or more grams of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, for the purpose of distribution. The Indictment also alleged that on that same date, Tow knowingly possessed a .380ACP caliber semi-automatic pistol and eight rounds of .380ACP caliber ammunition after having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, despite knowing of that conviction. The charges arose from an investigation by the District 27 Drug Task Force and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Tow will remain in the custody of the U. S. Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Lorenz represented the United States.


title: Former Columbus police officer sentenced to prison for stealing, selling cocaine

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – John Castillo, 32, of Grove City, was sentenced in U.S. District Court here today to 46 months in prison for possessing with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. According to court documents, Castillo was previously a Columbus police officer assigned to investigate drug crimes. In February 2021, he conspired with another officer to steal and sell approximately 10 kilograms of cocaine. Castillo and the other officer took approximately 10 kilograms of cocaine from a house on North Everett Avenue and did not turn it into evidence. They planted two additional kilograms of cocaine for law enforcement discovery later that day at the house. The 10 kilograms of cocaine were stored in the other officer’s basement before they were given to another individual to sell. Castillo was arrested in February 2024 and pleaded guilty in June 2024. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Elena Iatarola, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus Jr. Assistant United States Attorneys Peter K. Glenn-Applegate and Elizabeth A. Geraghty are representing the United States in this case. The case was investigated by the FBI’s Southern Ohio Public Corruption Task Force, which includes special agents and officers from the FBI, Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Ohio Auditor of State’s Office and the Columbus Division of Police. # # #


title: DOJ Byrne Grants to Washington State Police Departments pay for a variety of crime fighting tools

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – Some 13 different law enforcement entities are receiving more than $2.6 million in federal Byrne grants to pay for a wide variety of law enforcement programs, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. The projects are proposed by each jurisdiction and DOJ’s Bureau of Justice Assistance evaluates them and determines funding. “The proposals being funded this cycle range from high tech items for officer safety such as drones, robots and ballistic vests, to officer recruitment programs and school resource officers,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “There is even a grant for something called “The Grappler” which assists officers with safely stopping a fleeing vehicle in a high-speed chase.” The Seattle Police Department received two large grants – the biggest, $750,012 is for Seattle and surrounding jurisdictions using the city as the fiscal agent. The grant is for Seattle and its suburbs to use for a variety of programs that reduce crime. The programs can be for law enforcement training and overtime, for victim services and community-based programs. The second large grant to Seattle supports innovation in the 9-1-1 dispatch system. SPD is partnering with the National Policing Institute to implement and evaluate the Intelligent Risk Management system (IRM) for emergency calls. The system is used to evaluate calls to see if alternative dispatch, such as mental health specialists is appropriate. The program will undergo rigorous testing and evaluation. Seattle hopes the program can improve police capacity and enhance public trust. The system will also be evaluated for replication in other jurisdictions across the country. These are the other police departments receiving grants: Tacoma & Pierce County - $339,235 – for support of youth violence reduction strategies and a sex offender records management system. Snohomish County - $448,000 to support use of Rapid DNA system for use in solving crimes and identifying victims of crime or natural disasters. Clark County and Vancouver - $121,258 – the two law enforcement agencies will share the funds and enhance public safety with equipment purchases. Bellingham - $40,170 – the funds support adding more bicycle officers, and de-escalation equipment as well as ensuring each officer has a ballistic vest. Kitsap County - $39,423 to purchase ballistic vests capable of deflecting high caliber rifle shots. Lakewood - $39,064 – for the purchase of a tactical robot to allow officers to evaluate a situation without putting officers in harm’s way. Everett - $34,720 – to enhance recruitment efforts for qualified law enforcement officers using various digital strategies. Reducing the officer vacancies from 28 down to less than 5. Thurston County -$19,809 – for purchase of two “Grappler Police Bumper Pursuit” technology systems – a net and tether system used to safely stop a vehicle in a car chase. Bremerton - $14,524 – for crime prevention strategies in its downtown core. Marysville - $11,426 – for an Unmanned Aerial System (drone) for flyovers during warrant service or other law enforcement purposes involving threats, missing persons, barricaded subjects or hostage situations. Lynnwood - $10,209 – equipment purchases for officer safety. Longview -$10,098 – to continue the school resource officer program in Longview and Cowlitz County. The Byrne Grants are named in honor of New York City Police Officer Edward R. Byrne, who was killed in the line of duty on February 26, 1988. Officer Byrne was just 22 years old.


title: ST. CROIX MAN SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS ON PRODUCTION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND SECOND-DEGREE RAPE CONVICTIONS

component: USAO - Virgin Islands

body_text: St. Croix, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Dante James, 28, of St. Croix, was sentenced by District Judge Wilma Lewis to 180 months on production of child pornography and 84 months on second-degree rape, to run concurrently, followed by 10 years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment and fined $8,000. James was found guilty by a federal jury on July 12, 2024. “Sexual abuse impacts our entire community and exposes its victims to a lifetime of trauma. It is particularly heinous when sexual predators exploit our young children. We remain committed to fully seeking justice for victims of child exploitation and sexual abuse by prosecuting sex offenders of the law in hopes of creating a safe community for our children”, said United States Attorney Delia L. Smith. “The defendant’s sexual abuse was also an abuse of trust”, Homeland Security Investigations Assistant Special Agent in Charge Eugene Thomas said. As the victim’s former steel pan instructor, James abused her trust to be a role model and a leader. HSI will continue to work with the Virgin Islands Police Department to ensure that predators who prey on minors in our community are convicted of their crimes.” According to evidence presented at trial, between January 1, 2021, and August 23, 2022, James engaged in sexual intercourse with a 16-year-old minor. James produced a video recording of the sexual act with the minor with the use of an electronic device that was shipped in interstate and foreign commerce. The minor victim learned of the recording after James sent it to her via Snapchat. Though the victim asked James to delete the video, it was subsequently posted on social media. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Virgin Islands Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rhonda Williams-Henry and Everard Potter. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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 http://www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Ontario importer going to prison for two years for  trafficking 4.8 million dollars in counterfeit merchandise

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Wasseem Ramjaun, 48, of Vaughan, Ontario, who was convicted of trafficking in counterfeit goods, was sentenced to serve 24 months in prison by Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny. In addition, he was also ordered to pay $4,800,870 in restitution. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo, who handled the case, stated that Ramjaun operated various importing and exporting businesses in Canada. From approximately October 2016 to August 1, 2017, Ramjaun agreed to provide an individual with authentic Yeti, Vera Bradley, and Lacoste merchandise. However, Ramjaun was not authorized to use the trademarks of these companies. As a result, in January 2017, Ramjaun contacted a manufacturer in China and ordered bags that appeared identical to genuine Vera Bradley bags. To make sure the bags appeared authentic, Ramjaun provided the manufacturer with photographs and tags of authentic Vera Bradley bags. Between June 1 and June 8, 2017, Ramjaun imported the counterfeit Vera Bradley bags into the United States through a port of entry in Western District of New York. To conceal the fact the bags were fraudulent, Ramjaun provided United States Customs and Border Protection with a fraudulent manufacturing agreement. $4,800,870 is the total loss associated with Ramjaun’s conduct. The sentencing is the result of of an investigation by the United States Homeland Security Investigations, under the supervision of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan. # # # #


title: Omaha Man Sentenced to 35 Months’ Imprisonment for Methamphetamine Charge

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Adrian A. Garcia-Marin, age 33, of Omaha, Nebraska was sentenced December 11, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, after having pled guilty to distributing methamphetamine. Senior United States District Court Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Garcia-Marin to 35 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Garcia-Marin’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. On February 25, 2022, law enforcement utilized a confidential informant (CI) who ordered a quantity of meth from Garcia-Marin. The CI met with Garcia-Marin at the Nebraska Furniture Mart parking lot in Omaha where he delivered six pounds of meth to the informant. Garcia-Marin was arrested immediately after the delivery. This case was investigated by the Lincoln Police Department and the Nebraska State Patrol.