title: Omaha Man Sentenced for Two Bank Robberies

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Riek Kuany, age 25, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on April 26, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for two counts of bank robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Kuany to a total sentence of 140 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Kuany’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. In conjunction with his sentence, Kuany was ordered to pay restitution in the amount $17,547.00 to the banks for the amounts taken during the respective robberies. On April 6, 2023, Kuany and another male entered the First Interstate Bank at 47 th and L Streets in Omaha, wearing ski masks and gloves. Kuany also wore a reflective work vest. Both men held handguns and pointed them at the bank employees. Kuany slid a bag across the counter and demanded money. Bank employees took approximately $6,584 in U.S. currency from their cash drawers and put it in the bag. Kuany took the bag of cash and both men fled in a stolen SUV driven by a third individual. On April 11, 2023, Kuany entered Bank of the West at 87 th and West Center Road in Omaha, wearing a hair net and a medical face mask. Kuany was again carrying a handgun. Kuany pointed the firearm at bank employees, slid a bag across the counter, and demanded money. Bank employees took approximately $10,963 in U.S. currency from their cash drawers and put it in the bag. Kuany took the bag and cash and fled in a gold Jeep. First Interstate Bank and Bank of the West are both insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Investigation into others involved is still ongoing. This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.


title: Joint Statement On Fatal Officer-Involved Incident In The Grand Rapids Area

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and the FBI Field Office Detroit today issued the following statement concerning the fatal officer-involved incident that led to the death of Samuel Sterling in Kentwood, Michigan on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and the FBI Field Office Detroit are monitoring the ongoing state investigation into the circumstances that led to the tragic death of Samuel Sterling. We will continue to coordinate with our state and local law enforcement partners. If in the course of the state investigation, evidence reveals a potential violation of federal criminal statutes, we will take appropriate action.” # # #


title: Sarasota Man Pleads Guilty To Stealing Railroad Retirement Board Disability Benefits

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Allen R. Jenkins (68, Sarasota) has pleaded guilty to theft of government property. Jenkins faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to the plea agreement, Jenkins, a United States Railroad Retirement (USRRB) disability annuitant, was actively working in multiple capacities throughout the period he was receiving USRRB disability benefits and failed to report any of that work as required. Specifically, Jenkins was listed as a Registered Agent/Officer of at least 22 businesses, maintained five real estate broker’s licenses, and was licensed and working as a Community Association Manager. Jenkins failed to report this work activity, despite receiving annual reminder notices to report all work activity, and provided false, incomplete, and misleading answers on the one occasion he was directly asked about his work activity by the RRB. Jenkins was also buying and renovating properties for profit, which he did not report. Based on Jenkins’s failure to make the required reports, USRRB overpaid him approximately $271,124 in disability benefits. This case was investigated by the Railroad Retirement Board, Office of the Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Huyler and Assistant United States Attorney Michael Gordon.


title: Two Plead Guilty to Counterfeit Pill Trafficking Conspiracy

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – Two men have pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to their roles in a North Shore-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed tens of thousands of counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine. Nelson Mora, 31, of Lynn, and Christopher Nagle, 30, of Revere, pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Christopher Nagle also pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencings for Aug. 5, 2024 and Aug. 13, 2024, respectively. According to court documents, Christopher Nagle and allegedly his brother Lawrence Michael Nagle were identified as leaders of a DTO distributing various controlled substances throughout the North Shore region of Massachusetts. It is alleged that the Nagle DTO distributed significant quantities of various controlled substances, including, Adderall (both pharmaceutical-grade pills and counterfeit pills containing methamphetamine), methamphetamine, Xanax, Oxycodone (both pharmaceutical-grade and counterfeit pills containing fentanyl), cocaine and marijuana, among others. Christopher Nagle’s brother, Lawrence Michael Nagle, allegedly distributed controlled substances to a small network of individuals who would then redistribute the drugs to other traffickers, including Mora, who also had access to a pill press machine which he used to create counterfeit pills. A search of Christopher Nagle’s apartment recovered more than 74,000 counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, weighing more than 24 kilograms. Mora and Nagle are the 10th and 11th defendants to plead guilty in this case. The charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and fine of up to $1 million. The charge of possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Essex County District Attorney’s Office and the Beverly, Everett, Peabody, Revere, Salem, Saugus and Swampscott Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys James E. Arnold and Evan D. Panich of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Sunbury Man Sentenced To 24 Months In Prison For Failing To Comply With Sex Offender Registration Requirements

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: WILLIAMSPORT – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Xavier Josey, age 33, of Sunbury, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 24 months in prison on the charge of failing to comply with sex-offender registration requirements. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Josey was required to comply with the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act due to a 2013 conviction for indecent liberties with a child in North Carolina, but failed to do so upon establishing a residence in Pennsylvania. The indictment charged that Josey traveled interstate to Pennsylvania, established a residence in Sunbury, but failed to register or update his sex offender registration information in Pennsylvania as required by the law. In addition to the prison term, United States District Court Chief Judge Matthew W. Brann also ordered that Josey be supervised by a probation officer for five years following his release from prison, that he undergo sex-offender treatment, and that he comply with all registration requirements of the Sexual Offender Registration and Notification Act. The charges were the result of an investigation by the United States Marshals Service – Harrisburg office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Scalera. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood , a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . # # #


title: FCI Schuylkill Inmate Pleads Guilty To Assault With A Dangerous Weapon

body_text: SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jared Sebaugh, age 36, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution, Schuylkill, in Minersville, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on April 26, 2024, before U.S. District Court Judge Julia K. Munley, to the charge of assault with a dangerous weapon. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Sebaugh, formerly of Olmstead Falls, Ohio, admitted to assaulting another inmate with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm. The charges stem from an incident in February 2023 in which Sebaugh assaulted another inmate with a prison-made weapon consisting of a combination lock attached to a cloth strap. The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Service. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. The maximum penalty under federal law for each charge is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. # # #


title: Jury Finds U.S. Army Major Guilty After He Smuggled Guns to Ghana in Blue Barrels of Rice and Home Goods

body_text: WILMINGTON, N.C. – A federal jury convicted a United States Army Major, currently assigned to Fort Liberty, on charges of dealing in firearms without a license, delivering firearms without notice to the carrier, smuggling goods from the United States, illegally exporting firearms without a license, making false statements made to an agency of the United States, making false declarations before the court, and conspiracy. Kojo Owusu Dartey, age 42, faces a maximum penalty of 240 months when sentenced on July 23, 2024. “We are partnering with law enforcement agencies across the globe to expose international criminals – from money launderers to rogue international arms traffickers capable of fueling violence abroad,” said U.S Attorney Michael Easley. “Through a partnership with Ghanaian officials, this rogue Army Major was convicted at trial after smuggling guns to Ghana in blue barrels of rice and household goods. I want to thank the Ghana Revenue Authority and the International Cooperation Unit Office of the Attorney-General of Ghana for their assistance in the investigation. I also commend the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) attachés to U.S. Embassy Accra and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs of the Department’s Criminal Division for their significant assistance to this prosecution.” “Far from being a victimless crime, firearms trafficking threatens public safety across our nation and beyond,” said Toni M. Crosby, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Baltimore Field Division. “The Baltimore Field Division is proud to partner with the Ghana Revenue Authority and ATF’s Charlotte and Louisville Field Divisions for this investigation, which has kept firearms off the streets — preventing them from being used in any number of killings and other crimes — and ended this international firearm trafficking scheme.” The Ghana Revenue Authority According to court records and evidence presented at trial, between June 28 and July 2, 2021, Dartey purchased seven firearms in the Fort Liberty area and tasked a U.S. Army Staff Sergeant at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, to purchase three firearms there and send them to Dartey in North Carolina. Dartey then hid all the firearms, including multiple handguns, an AR15, 50-round magazines, suppressors, and a combat shotgun inside blue barrels underneath rice and household goods and smuggled the barrels out of the Port of Baltimore, Maryland, on a container ship to the Port of Tema in Ghana. The Ghana Revenue Authority recovered the firearms and reported the seizure to the DEA attaché in Ghana and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division. At the same time, Dartey was a witness in the trial of U.S. v. Agyapong. A case that involved a 16-defendant marriage fraud scheme between soldiers on Fort Liberty and foreign nationals from Ghana that Dartey had tipped off officials to. In preparation for the trial, Dartey lied to federal law enforcement about his sexual relationship with a defense witness and lied on the stand and under oath about the relationship. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II accepted the verdict. The ATF, Army Criminal Investigation Division and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabriel J. Diaz prosecuted it with technical assistance from David Ryan, DOJ Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-00165-M-RJ-1.


title: Media Advisory: Sentencing of Jareh Dalke

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: What: United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Cole Finegan, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek, will speak at a press conference about the sentencing of Jareh Dalke, 31, of Colorado Springs. Mr. Dalke will be sentenced by Judge Raymond P. Moore after pleading guilty in October 2023, to six counts of attempting to transmit classified National Defense Information to an agent of the Russian Federation When: Monday, April 29, 2024 Sentencing begins at 10:30 a.m. The press conference will commence approximately 15 minutes after the end of the hearing. This is likely to occur after 1 p.m. Where: Steps of the Alfred A. Arraj United State Courthouse at 901 19 th Street, Denver, CO USA Finegan and SAC Michalek are not available for questions or interviews.


title: Leader of a Keene-Based Crack Cocaine Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 70 Months in Federal Prison

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Vermont man was sentenced in federal court in Concord for conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, namely crack cocaine, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Lamar Carter, 33, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Samantha Elliott to 70 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release. On December 19, 2023, Carter pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance. “The defendant admitted to leading a drug distribution organization that sold crack cocaine in Keene. After law enforcement searched the location used as a hub of operation, seizing a firearm, he was undeterred and continued to operate his illegal drug trafficking business from various hotel rooms in the Keene area,” U.S. Attorney Jane Young said. “Thanks to the diligent work of our law enforcement partners in Keene and at Homeland Security Investigations, the defendant was arrested and will no longer be able to distribute dangerous drugs that make their way into every community throughout the Granite State.” “Carter led a group that brought deadly drugs into New Hampshire, exploiting addiction for his own profit. HSI is committed to working with local partners like the Keene Police Department to dismantle drug trafficking networks and make our communities safer,” said Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security in New England. Carter was a leader of a drug distribution organization that obtained powder cocaine from New Jersey, “cooked” the cocaine to manufacture crack, and distributed the crack in and around Keene, New Hampshire. The organization had several employees who worked for Carter and conducted hand-to-hand drug transactions with customers. The organization operated out of a local resident’s home, as well as several hotel rooms. Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Keene Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarad Hodes prosecuted the case. ###


title: Sioux Falls Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, woman, convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on April 22, 2024, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Christina Gonzalez, age 34, was sentenced to one year and eight months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. She was ordered to pay $100 as a statutorily required special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Gonzalez was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in December of 2023. She pleaded guilty on February 6, 2024. On October 20, 2023, law enforcement responded to a call of a suspicious person trespassing on private property. The reporting party advised the trespasser was a female and that she had a handgun in her possession. When law enforcement arrived, they located Gonzalez next to her vehicle parked near the property. When Gonzalez was placed under arrest, a search of her vehicle was conducted, and law enforcement located the handgun the witness previously saw in her possession. 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. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen prosecuted the case. Gonzalez was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to continue serving her sentence.


title: District of New Jersey Collects $214 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2023

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today that the District of New Jersey collected a total of $214 million in Fiscal Year 2023. Of this amount, $33.4 million was collected in criminal actions and $13.4 million was collected in civil actions. The district also collected $91 million in cases the office handled jointly with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice, including $90.9 million in civil actions and $60,851 in criminal actions. In addition, the district recovered $71.5 million in civil bankruptcy proceedings where individuals and businesses owed debts to federal agencies. And the district, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $4.7 million in asset forfeiture actions. “Part of the mission of our office is to ensure that defendants are held financially accountable for their criminal and civil wrongdoing. Our recoveries in fiscal year 2023 demonstrate this commitment. We pursue restitution for victims, ensure that defendants are made to forfeit assets they have accumulated through criminal activity, and recover federal funds obtained through fraud. We also recover debts owed to the United States in bankruptcy.” U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger Significant recoveries included a $14.7 million False Claims Act settlement the District of New Jersey entered into with Biotelemetry Inc. and Lifewatch Services Inc. Both companies were alleged to have knowingly submitted inflated claims for remote cardiac monitoring that were not supported by medical necessity. The district also recovered $4.25 million in an FCA settlement with Watermark Retirement Communities LLC, a senior living facility alleged to have received kickbacks in return for referrals to a nationwide home health agency which previously settled its liability with the government for $17 million. The district’s significant bankruptcy recoveries included over $18 million of delinquent tax debts for the IRS and over $16 million of outstanding commercial loans for the U.S. Small Business Administration. The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes. Recoveries in bankruptcy are returned to the federal agencies that are creditors in the case.


title: Newport Man Detained on Federal Charge of Child Enticement

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: PROVIDENCE, RI – A Newport man who is alleged to have enticed a minor female to engage in illicit sexual activity and who was allegedly found to be in possession of child pornography has been ordered detained in federal custody, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. Kyle Patrick Tormey, 39, is charged by way of a federal criminal complaint with enticement of an individual less than eighteen years of age to engage in sexual activity, receipt of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. He was ordered detained at his initial appearance in U.S. District Court on Friday. It is alleged in charging documents that Tormey repeatedly communicated with a minor female on various social media platforms, enticing the young girl to provide him with photographs of herself and to meet with him to engage in illicit sexual activity. It is alleged that at the end of a sexual encounter in Tormey’s van in late December 2023, he gave the minor victim $200 in cash. It is further alleged that as a result of the execution of federal court-authorized search warrants, law enforcement discovered multiple images of the minor victim in various stages of undress stored in social media accounts belonging to Tormey; numerous communications with the girl that led up to the alleged sexual encounter; and multiple images of other minors that constituted child pornography. A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Milind M. Shah. The matter was investigated by the FBI and West Warwick Police Department. United States Attorney Cunha thanks the Newport Police for their assistance during the investigation and arrest of the defendant. 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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . ###


title: Ideal Man Sentenced for Larceny and Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced an Ideal, South Dakota, man convicted of Larceny and Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm. The sentencing took place on April 24, 2024. Tredell Long Crow, age 27, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to a pay $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Long Crow was furthered ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,786.66. Long Crow was indicted by a federal grand jury in September of 2023. He pleaded guilty on February 1, 2024. The convictions stem from conduct that occurred in July of 2023. On July 15, 2023, Long Crow stole a vehicle from a residence in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, which he drove to a residence in Ideal, on property that is part of the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. In the early morning hours of July 16, 2023, Long Crow was involved in an argument with two individuals in Ideal, during which he brandished and discharged a firearm. In 2022, Long Crow was convicted of Possession of a Controlled Drug or Substance in Minnehaha, County, South Dakota. As a result of this conviction, it is illegal for Long Crow to possess firearms or ammunition. 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. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court. This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Police Department, the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, the Tripp County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case. Long Crow was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Sioux Falls Man Charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine Sentenced to Over 16 Years in Federal Prison

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on April 22, 2024. Edward Ward, 52, was sentenced to 16 years and eight months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Ward was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in March of 2023. He pleaded guilty on January 23, 2024. Ward obtained methamphetamine through the mail from a co-conspirator in California and re-distributed it in South Dakota. On May 3, 2022, Ward sold approximately four ounces of methamphetamine to a confidential informant who was working with law enforcement. Also on May 17, 2022, he sold another 5.5 ounces of methamphetamine to the informant during a controlled purchase orchestrated by law enforcement. Then again on May 26, 2022, Ward sold another eleven ounces of methamphetamine to the same informant. He was personally involved in the handling and distribution of approximately 100 pounds of methamphetamine during his involvement in the conspiracy. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case. Ward was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Mission Man Sentenced for Commission of a Crime of Violence while Failing to Register as a Sex Offender

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender; Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer with a Dangerous Weapon; and Commission of a Crime of Violence while Failing to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on April 24, 2024. Louis Andrew Rabbitt, Jr., age 42, was sentenced to six years and five months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Rabbitt was indicted by a federal grand jury in October and December of 2023. He was convicted of all counts on January 25, 2024, following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Pierre, South Dakota. According to evidence presented at trial, Rabbitt failed to update his sex offender registration after moving from his registered address in July of 2023. Rabbitt had continued to fail to update his sex offender registration when the U.S. Marshals Service arrived to arrest Rabbitt pursuant to an arrest warrant on September 20, 2023. In an effort to avoid arrest, Rabbitt threatened Deputy U.S. Marshals with a baseball bat before being apprehended. This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service with the assistance of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wayne Venhuizen and Meghan Dilges prosecuted the case. 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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . Rabbitt was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Orlando Man Charged With Trafficking Over 20 Kilograms Of Cocaine

body_text: Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Tyrone Jose Beltran Lugo (27, Orlando) with possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. If convicted, Beltran Lugo faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. According to court documents, a federal search warrant was executed at a residence used by Beltran Lugo. At the residence, agents located over 20 kilograms of cocaine, approximately $96,000 in currency, nearly 85 grams of heroin, and two loaded handguns with extended magazines. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with valuable assistance from the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Orange County Sherriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Noah P. Dorman.


title: Council Bluffs, Iowa Man Sentenced to 200 Months for Drug and Firearm Charges

component: USAO - Iowa, Southern

body_text: COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced April 16, 2024, to 200 months in prison on federal drug charges and a concurrent 180 months for a firearms crime. According to public court documents, Jake Michael Flynn, 39, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and prohibited person in possession of a firearm. From October 2022 through April 2023, Flynn was a member of a conspiracy which distributed more than 50 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Council Bluffs area. A stolen vehicle was also recovered that was involved in prior burglaries in the Council Bluffs area. Additionally, a Sig Sauer Model P365 9x19 millimeter handgun was found in the vehicle with Flynn’s DNA. Flynn was previously convicted of a felony and therefore prohibited from legally possessing a firearm. After completing his term of imprisonment, Flynn will be required to serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force, the Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Council Bluffs Police Department. 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 .


title: Council Bluffs, Iowa Man Sentenced to 240 Months for Drug and Firearm Charges

body_text: COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced April 16, 2024, to 240 months in prison for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance, and 180 months for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person, to be served concurrently. According to public court documents, Virgil Rude McIntosh, III, 47, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and prohibited person in possession of a firearm. Between December and July 2023, McIntosh was involved in a drug conspiracy credited for the distribution of over 30 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Council Bluffs metro area. Officers conducted a search warrant of McIntosh’s residence and seized methamphetamine and a loaded Sig Saur 9 mm handgun. After completing his term of imprisonment, McIntosh will be required to serve ten years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force, the Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Omaha Police Department, and the Council Bluffs Police Department. 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 .


title: Davenport Man Sentenced to 360 Months in Federal Prison for Gun and Drug Charges

body_text: DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced on April 17, 2024, to 360 months in federal prison, for conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and/or possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and marijuana, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and felon in possession of firearms. According to public court documents evidence presented at trial and sentencing, Kpangbala Benyan Blamah, 34, was identified by law enforcement as a suspect in multiple shooting incidents. During that investigation, it was revealed that Blamah was a leader of a drug distribution conspiracy in and around the Quad City Metro area. Evidence showed that Blamah was coordinating several trips to California for him and other members of the conspiracy, including in some cases, minors that Blamah had recruited to be a part of the conspiracy. Evidence also showed that Blamah had packages of controlled substances mailed from California to Davenport to various residences of members of the conspiracy. In total, Blamah was responsible for over 1700 kilograms of controlled substances, including marijuana and cocaine. After completing his term of imprisonment, Blamah will be required to serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Davenport Police Department. 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 .


title: Council Bluffs, Iowa Man Sentenced to 108 Months in Federal Prison for Child Pornography Charges

body_text: COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced April 16, 2024, to 108 months in prison for Receipt of Child Pornography. According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Ivan Dean Joslin, 20, pled guilty to Receipt of Child Pornography. In May 2023, Joslin met a thirteen-year-old minor in Council Bluffs, Iowa and exchanged phone numbers. At his request, Joslin received over the internet sexually explicit images and videos of the minor. After completing his term of imprisonment, Joslin is required to serve six years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by Council Bluffs Police Department. 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 the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc . / For information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the resources tab.


title: Dallas Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Large-Scale Cocaine Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – A Dallas man pleaded guilty on April 26, 2024 in federal court in Worcester to his role in a nationwide large-scale cocaine trafficking conspiracy. Javier Robledo Perez, 39, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing hearing for July 19, 2024. Perez was a commercial truck driver based out of Dallas who transported approximately 30 kilograms of cocaine across state lines on behalf of a drug trafficking organization based in Mexico and Texas. In May 2020, Perez and his co-conspirators arranged for the delivery of 30 kilograms of cocaine to a cooperating witness in Massachusetts. In May 2020, Perez was stopped by law enforcement as he traveled into Massachusetts in his commercial semi-truck, from which 30 vacuum sealed bricks, containing approximately 30 kilograms of cocaine, were seized. The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and the charge of possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine both carry a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and John E. Mawn, Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Laredo and Dallas Divisions provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea Porter of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Michael Wayne Bentley Sentenced To Over 23 Years Imprisonment For Firearm And Drug Offenses

component: USAO - Tennessee, Eastern

body_text: GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On April 29, 2024, Michael Wayne Bentley, III, 28, of Gray, Tennessee, was sentenced to 284 months of imprisonment by the Honorable J. Ronnie Greer, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville. Following his incarceration, Bentley will be on supervised release for five years. On December 14, 2023, following a three-day jury trial, Bentley was found guilty of conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and attempting to possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1), and (b)(1)A); and using, carrying, and/or brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking offense, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(ii). The evidence presented at trial demonstrated that Bentley arranged to receive deliveries of methamphetamine to the Kingsport area via the U.S. Postal Service from a source of supply located in Mexico. Law enforcement intercepted one postal package containing more than 894 grams of methamphetamine. Approximately three weeks later, another package was intercepted, containing more than 839 grams of methamphetamine. That package was addressed to Bentley’s grandparent’s residence. Agents replaced the methamphetamine in the second package with items of a similar weight and the package was delivered. Agents testified they observed Bentley’s grandmother accept the package and, shortly thereafter, Bentley arrived at the residence. Once Bentley left the residence, agents approached Bentley and attempted to arrest him. Bentley pointed a firearm at the agents and fled on foot, with agents in pursuit. During the chase, Bentley again pointed his firearm at the agents and two agents discharged their firearms at Bentley, who was not injured. He was then taken into custody. During a post-arrest interview, Bentley admitted to agents that he had been receiving methamphetamine through the U.S. mail and distributing it. He also admitted that he had acquired the firearm for protection from other drug dealers. U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee, Special Agent in Charge, Rana M. Saoud, of the United States Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), and Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division, Tommy D. Coke, of the United States Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”) made the announcement. The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by HSI, USPIS, and the Second Judicial Drug Task Force. This investigation was led by HSI Special Agent John Bulla. Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Swecker and B. Todd Martin represented the United States. 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: Brazilian Man Pleads Guilty and Sentenced on Charges of Escape From Federal Custody

body_text: BOSTON – A Brazilian man residing in Framingham pleaded guilty in federal court in Worcester to escaping from federal custody. Victor Rodrigues De Moura-Pereria, 20, pleaded guilty on April 26, 2024 before U.S. Magistrate Judge David Hennessy, who sentenced Rodrigues to time-served (approximately five weeks in prison) to be followed by one year of supervised release. Rodrigues was subsequently transferred into ICE custody and placed into removal proceedings. In September 2021, Rodrigues was arrested in Arizona after unlawfully entering the United States. He was subsequently placed into removal proceeding in October 2021 but failed to report and was considered an absconder. On Feb. 25, 2024, in Framingham, Rodrigues was approached by local law enforcement due to an outstanding warrant for his arrest. Rodrigues ignored officers’ commands and resisted arrest. Rodrigues was then transferred into the custody of federal immigration officials. On Feb. 26, 2024, while being transported to the Wyatt Detention Center where he was to be detained while in custody of immigration authorities, Rodrigues made numerous attempts to escape. Specifically – while placed in full restraints and seated in the prisoner compartment of the transport van – Rodrigues attempted to unlock the passenger side door by pulling on the lock pin with his teeth. Rodrigues then forced his body through a small gap between the vehicle’s rear cage and passenger side window and into the vehicle’s storage compartment, where he pulled the emergency release pull tab, opened the rear door and jumped out onto the highway when the vehicle entered standstill traffic. After exiting the transport van, Rodrigues ran down the middle of the highway and disappeared. Responding law enforcement subsequently located Rodrigues hiding inside a wooden fenced area behind a building in Waltham, approximately a quarter mile from where he exited the vehicle. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Enforcement and Removal Operations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Boston made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Waltham Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Maynard of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Springfield CPA Pleads Guilty to Stealing $400,000 from Trust Fund

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to embezzling more than $400,000 from a trust fund under his control. Ray Leonard Marple, 61, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to a federal information that charges him with one count of wire fraud and one count of making a false federal tax return. Marple, a certified public accountant, has been operating his own accounting firm since 1999. By pleading guilty today, Marple admitted that he embezzled approximately $432,981 from a revocable trust account from July 7, 2017, through May 3, 2023, following the death of the grantor. According to the plea agreement, Marple would have been entitled to trustee fees less than $2,500 annually, or $17,500 total for the seven years, significantly less than he withdrew from the trust account for personal purposes. Marple therefore stole at least $415,481 from the trust account. Marple admitted he used proceeds from the fraud scheme to purchase his residential property in Springfield. Marple also admitted that he under-reported his income on federal tax returns from 2018 to 2020. Marple earned nearly $177,000 in taxable income that was not reported over those three years, for which he owes $59,622 in federal income taxes. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Marple must pay up to $415,481 in restitution to the trust and at least $59,622 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service, as ordered by the court. Marple also must forfeit to the government a money judgment of $415,481 and his Springfield residential property. Under federal statutes, Marple is subject to a sentence of up to 23 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation and the FBI.


title: The Justice Department Supports More Competition and Lower Prices for Communications from Jails and Prisons

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division today filed comments with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in support of efforts to lower prices and improve the quality of incarcerated people’s communications services (IPCS). “Telephone services are a lifeline between incarcerated people and the outside world,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Regular and reliable communication keeps families connected and reduces recidivism after release. I applaud the FCC for its work over the past decade to make rates and charges for incarcerated people’s communications services more fair, just, and reasonable. We encourage the FCC to build on this work as it considers new rules in this area.” Communication with loved ones can improve incarcerated people’s wellbeing. It also provides significant benefits to families, especially to children with incarcerated parents. Yet as the department’s comment details, a small group of corporations now dominate the market for IPCS. As a result, phone calls in prison and jail are often low quality and prohibitively expensive. In fact, as many as one third of families with incarcerated family members have gone into debt to pay for calls and visits to prisons. The department’s comment , filed as an ex parte submission to assist the FCC in their implementation of the Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act of 2022, suggests a number of regulatory safeguards that would promote competition, better align market incentives and help to lower costs. All of these measures would provide much-needed relief to American families trying to stay connected with incarcerated loved ones. The Justice Department is committed to protecting the competitive process across the economy, and it has worked actively to promote competition in telecommunications. The department works closely with the FCC to promote competition through review of communications mergers and in other matters, and the department looks forward to continuing its work with the FCC to achieve affordable communications services for incarcerated people and their families.


title: Two Men Sentenced to 10 Years for Trafficking Mass Quantities of Fentanyl from Southern California to the District

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: WASHINGTON – Mario Ernesto Benitez, 29, and Diamante Markell Hall, 29, both of Washington D.C., were sentenced today to 120 months in prison for their roles in a large-scale narcotics conspiracy that trafficked kilogram quantities of fentanyl and additional amounts of cocaine from Southern California to the metropolitan region. The sentences were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, DEA Special Agent in Charge Jarod A. Forget of the Washington Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Inspector in Charge Damon Wood, of the United States Postal Inspection Service Washington Division, and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of the Virginia State Police. Benitez, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine on January 11, 2024, was sentenced to 10 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Dabney L. Friedrich, who also ordered Benitez to serve five of supervised release on completion of the prison term. Hall, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, was sentenced to 10 years in prison by Judge Friedrich, who also ordered Hall to serve five years of supervised release. According to court documents, Benitez admitted to trafficking more than three kilograms of a mixture of substance containing fentanyl and 217 grams of cocaine from December 2022 until his arrest in May 2023. Hall admitted to trafficking nearly six kilograms of fentanyl to the metro area in the span of a few months. Authorities learned that on December 13, 2022, two packages were shipped at the same time from a facility in Monterrey Park, California, to the Washington, D.C. area. Both packages were addressed to “Martes Benito,” on the 700 block of Congress Street, S.E. The shipper opened the first package pursuant to their own policies as the package was deemed suspicious by its employees. Virginia State Police and the DEA recovered approximately 700 grams of fentanyl pills and 200 grams of cocaine from the first package. On December 17, 2022, the shipper informed law enforcement that a second package addressed to “Martes Benito” at the Congress Street address had been intercepted. Law enforcement obtained a state court warrant for the package. It was found to contain approximately one kilogram of fentanyl pills. Video from the shipping facility in Monterrey Park confirmed that Benitez mailed both packages at the same time on December 13, 2023, and the video footage shows the distinctive tattoos on Benitez’s left hand and left wrist. Agents also learned that beginning in June 2022, approximately twice a month, Benitez made short trips, flying to Los Angeles, California and then returning to the Washington D.C. area. One of those trips took place from December 12 to December 13, 2023, which coincided with the date that both packages were shipped from the facility near Los Angeles in Monterrey Park. Hall often accompanied him on those trips and helped to ship packages of fentanyl to the Washington metro area. On May 3, 2023, agents arrested Benitez in the District. Upon his arrest, agents executed a search warrant at his residence where they seized six grams of cocaine and 150 grams of fentanyl pills, a DPMS AR-style rifle and a Glock Model 19 handgun, $57,226 in cash, and implements used to ship the narcotics. The magazine in the AR-style rifle was loaded. Hall addressed his packages to the 500 block of Rittenhouse Street, NW. On September 18, 2023, law enforcement arrested Hall in Maryland. In searching Hall’s residence, agents found 28 grams of suspected cocaine, a loaded Glock Model 30 handgun with an obliterated serial number, additional ammunition of different calibers, a money counter, a digital scale, and $1,500 in cash which Hall admitted was proceeds from his drug sales. This investigation was 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. This case was investigated by the FBI, the DEA, U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division, and Virginia State Police. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nihar Mohanty of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Long.


title: Chicago Man Sentenced to 4.5 Years in Prison for Pandemic Unemployment Benefits Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Chicago, Illinois, has been sentenced in federal court to 54 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and $20,000 in restitution on his conviction of mail fraud and aggravated identity theft, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV imposed the sentence on Christian Matthews, 35. According to information presented to the Court, Matthews fraudulently obtained personal identifying information belonging to other people and used it to file claims for pandemic-related unemployment benefits. The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program was created to provide economic support to certain individuals unemployed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Matthews used online marketplaces to purchase identifying information, including Social Security numbers, that had been stolen from victims. He then created fictitious businesses and used them to obtain mailing addresses from companies that rent shared office space. Finally, he used the stolen identity information to file fraudulent claims for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits in states including Arizona, Nevada, and Pennsylvania, and had the resulting benefit cards sent via U.S. Mail to multiple business locations, including an office building in Pittsburgh, where Matthews would retrieve and use the benefits. Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey R. Bengel prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the United States Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General, United States Department of Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Inspection Service, and Findlay Township Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Matthews.


title: Cut Bank man sentenced to more than five years in prison for assaulting, shooting woman on Blackfeet Indian Reservation

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A Cut Bank man was sentenced today to five years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for assaulting and then shooting and wounding a woman at a residence on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. The defendant, Luke Charles Wells, 33, pleaded guilty in November 2023 to assault with a dangerous weapon and to using a firearm during a crime of violence. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. In court documents, the government alleged that on July 16, 2023, Wells was intoxicated at a residence on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, when he became angry at the victim, identified as Jane Doe. Doe was in a bathroom when Wells broke down the door and began assaulting her. Doe ran outside to escape. Wells chased her and pulled out a pistol. Doe tripped and fell, and Wells started shooting at the ground around her. Wells then hit Doe in the head with the gun several times before shooting and wounding her in the chest. Doe was transported to the hospital. Wells, disobeying officers’ commands and while armed, fled multiple law enforcement agencies in a vehicle pursuit before being tased and arrested. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kalah A. Paisley prosecuted the case. The FBI, Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, Cut Bank Police Department and Glacier County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Two Former Missouri Health Care Charity Executives Sentenced for Roles in Multimillion-Dollar Bribery and Embezzlement Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: Two former executives of a Springfield, Missouri-based charity were sentenced for their roles in a multimillion-dollar public corruption scheme that involved embezzlement and bribes paid to multiple elected public officials in the State of Arkansas. Bontiea Bernedette Goss, 65, was sentenced today to three years in prison, and her husband, Tommy “Tom” Ray Goss, 68, was sentenced on April 25 to six years in prison. They were also ordered to jointly pay $4.35 million in forfeiture and/or restitution. According to court documents, Bontiea and Tom Goss were the former chief operating officer and chief financial officer, respectively, at Preferred Family Healthcare Inc., a charity that provided a variety of services to individuals in Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Illinois. Some of these services included mental and behavioral health treatment and counseling, substance abuse treatment and counseling, employment assistance, aid to individuals with developmental disabilities, and medical services. In exchange for the bribes and kickbacks offered and paid by the Gosses and their co-conspirators, elected state officials in Arkansas provided favorable legislative and official action for the charity, including, but not limited to, influencing legislation that would impact the charity and directing funds from the State’s General Improvement Fund. In September 2022, both Bontiea and Tom Goss pleaded guilty to conspiracy to pay bribes and kickbacks to elected officials in Arkansas. Tom Goss also pleaded guilty to participating in the conspiracy by embezzling funds from the charity and to one count of aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of a false tax return. In 2022, Preferred Family Healthcare also agreed to pay more than $8 million in forfeiture and restitution to the federal government and the State of Arkansas under the terms of a non-prosecution agreement, which acknowledged the criminal conduct of its former officers and employees. As part of this long-running, multi-jurisdiction federal investigation, additional former executives from the charity, former members of the Arkansas state legislature, and others have pleaded guilty in federal court, including the following: Former CEO Marilyn Luann Nolan, of Springfield, Missouri, pleaded guilty in November 2018 to her role in a conspiracy to embezzle and misapply the funds of a charitable organization that received federal funds. Former Director of Operations and Executive Vice President Robin Raveendran, of Little Rock, Arkansas, pleaded guilty in June 2019 to conspiracy to commit bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds. Former Executive and Head of Clinical Operations Keith Fraser Noble, of Rogersville, Missouri, pleaded guilty in September 2019 to concealment of a known felony. Former employee and Head of Operations and Lobbying in Arkansas Milton Russell Cranford, also known as Rusty, of Rogers, Arkansas, was sentenced to seven years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of federal program bribery. Political consultant Donald Andrew Jones, also known as D.A. Jones, of Willingboro, New Jersey, pleaded guilty in December 2017 to his role in a conspiracy from April 2011 to January 2017 to steal from an organization that receives federal funds. Former Arkansas State Senator Jeremy Hutchinson, of Little Rock, pursuant to a global plea agreement, pleaded guilty on June 25, 2019 in the Eastern District of Arkansas to filing a false tax return; pleaded guilty on June 25, 2019, to an information filed in the Western District of Arkansas to conspiracy to commit federal program bribery; and pleaded guilty in the Western District of Missouri on July 8, 2019, to conspiracy to commit federal program bribery. Hutchinson was sentenced to eight years in prison. Former Arkansas State Representative Eddie Wayne Cooper, of Melbourne, Arkansas, pleaded guilty in February 2018 to conspiracy to embezzle more than $4 million from Preferred Family Healthcare. Former Arkansas State Senator and State Representative Henry “Hank” Wilkins IV pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit federal program bribery and devising a scheme and artifice to defraud and deprive the citizens of the State of Arkansas of their right to honest services. Wilkins was sentenced to one year and one day in prison. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Teresa A. Moore for the Western District of Missouri; U.S. Attorney Jonathan D. Ross for the Eastern District of Arkansas; U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes for the Western District of Arkansas; Special Agent in Charge Thomas F. Murdock of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) St. Louis Field Office; Assistant Director Michael Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz of the Justice Department Office of Inspector General; Special Agent in Charge William J. Hannah of the Justice Department Office of the Inspector General, Midwest Region; Inspector General Larry D. Turner of the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General; and Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Shimon R. Richmond of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Office of Inspector General made the announcement. IRS-CI, FBI, and the Offices of the Inspectors General from the Departments of Justice, Labor, and FDIC investigated the cases. Acting Deputy Chief Marco A. Palmieri and Trial Attorneys Jacob Steiner and Aaron Jennen of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section; Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall Eggert for the Western District of Missouri; Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Mazzanti for the Eastern District of Arkansas; and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ben Wulff and Steven M. Mohlhenrich for the Western District of Arkansas are prosecuting the cases.


title: Jackson Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon

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

body_text: Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to court documents, Marcus Delars Branson, 27, was found in possession of a firearm by U. S. Probation Officers during a visit to his home. Branson had a prior felony conviction for bank robbery and was on supervised release. On July 25, 2023, Branson was indicted by a federal grand jury for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 30, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Doctor sentenced to 10 years in prison for unlawfully dispensing controlled substances

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – On April 25, a Weston doctor was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release for running a pill mill type pain clinic. The sentence comes after Osmin Morales, 72, of Weston, Florida, was convicted in January of conspiracy to unlawfully dispense and distribute controlled substances, and six counts of unlawfully dispensing controlled substances. Under federal law, a physician is authorized to dispense (prescribe) controlled substances only when there is a legitimate medical basis for doing so, and the dispensing is consistent with accepted standards of professional medical practice. Morales established a purported pain management clinic in which he issued prescriptions for controlled substances, principally oxycodone, morphine, and alprazolam (a tranquilizer commonly known by its brand name, Xanax) to most patients who sought them, without any appropriate medical basis. On many occasions, Morales issued prescriptions for controlled substances without examining the patients, often when he was not even present in the clinic. Morales also often pre-wrote many prescriptions for controlled substances and provided them to his office managers to hand out for cash payments of $250 to regular patients, with the purpose of unlawfully maximizing the clinic’s profits. Some of Morales’s former patients testified during trial that they had often obtained prescriptions for oxycodone, morphine, and alprazolam from the office staff without seeing Morales. One patient’s mother testified that she had begged Morales to stop prescribing narcotics to her daughter, because she was becoming dysfunctional, but he continued prescribing them. Medical records from Morales’s office described a number of medical examinations he had purportedly conducted of patients which described the patients’ symptoms and included Morales’s diagnoses for which he prescribed opioids to them. However, official records from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) confirmed that on many of the dates for those purported examinations, Morales had been out of the country. A Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent testified that Florida’s prescription drug monitoring program showed that during the time of the indictment, Morales had prescribed opioids to more than a thousand patients, most often the maximum available doses. The DEA agent also researched numerous patients by name and found that nearly one-third of them had criminal records relating to drug dealing. A pain medicine expert witness testified that none of the patient medical records he had examined contained any proper medical basis for the use of opioids, such as oxycodone or morphine, nor any basis for the use of benzodiazepines, such as alprazolam. The pain medicine expert also testified that the combination of opioids and benzodiazepines that Morales regularly prescribed, both of which are central nervous system depressants, created an enhanced risk of overdose and death. A former member of the Morales’s office staff testified that she had collected approximately $4,000 per day, in cash, from patients to whom Morales provided controlled substance prescriptions. On most of those days, Morales had not been present at the clinic. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the DEA, Miami Field Division, announced the sentence. DEA Miami Field Division investigated the case with assistance from CBP. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Tamen and Theodore Joseph O’Brien prosecuted it. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Stone and Mitchell Hyman handled asset forfeiture. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 22-cr-20255. ###


title: Kingsport Man Sentenced to Life In Prison For Role In Fentanyl Overdose Death

body_text: GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On April 29, 2024, Terrance Lamont Hines, 42, of Kingsport, Tennessee, was sentenced to life in prison by the Honorable J. Ronnie Greer, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville. During the sentencing hearing, Judge Greer determined that Hines was both an armed career criminal under the applicable federal statutory law and a career offender under the federal sentencing guidelines. Following his incarceration, Hines will be on supervised release for 10 years. Following a five-day trial, on June 26, 2023, a federal jury in Greeneville found Hines guilty of conspiring to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl with a resulting death in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1), and 841(b)(1)(A), multiple counts of distributing fentanyl in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C), possessing with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B), possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c), and possessing firearms by a convicted felon in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g). According to the evidence presented at trial, on December 3, 2020, the victim, a 52-year-old Kingsport woman, died in her home in Sullivan County. The victim’s husband located her unresponsive body. A subsequent autopsy and toxicology tests revealed that the victim had overdosed on fentanyl. After a lengthy battle with chronic pain, the victim had begun self-medicating with controlled substances she purchased from others. Following a lengthy investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), investigators were able to establish that Hines had supplied the fentanyl that resulted in the victim’s death and had distributed the fentanyl through a series of lower-level dealers and users. Three codefendants, Shaina K. Langford, 34, of Jonesborough, Tennessee, Adam Presnell, 37, of Knoxville, Tennessee, and Robin Hutchins, 63, of Kingsport, Tennessee, were part of the chain of distribution. Hines sold the fentanyl to Hutchins, who sold it to Presnell, who sold it to Lanford, who supplied it directly to the victim. Hutchins, Presnell, and Lanford previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. After identifying Hines, investigators coordinated three controlled purchases of fentanyl from Hines. Investigators also obtained search warrants for Hines’ business, OD Records, and his apartment, both located in Kingsport. When executing those search warrants on July 20, 2021, investigators located evidence that was introduced at trial, including a 9mm pistol, over 100 grams of fentanyl with a street value exceeding $116,000, $1,400 in cash, an assault rifle, and other drug paraphernalia. The jury specifically found that Hines had conspired to supply the mixture of fentanyl that caused the victim’s death. Hines’ codefendants have been sentenced or are awaiting sentencing. Lanford was sentenced on November 20, 2023, to 120 months in prison. Presnell was sentenced on January 3, 2024, to 84 months in prison. Hutchins entered a plea of guilty on June 12, 2023, and she is scheduled to be sentenced on August 19, 2024. “Fentanyl is an exceedingly dangerous drug, and overdose deaths from fentanyl have become all too common across Tennessee and the nation,” said United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III. “The United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to use every available resource to prosecute those who traffic fentanyl to provide justice to the victims and to deter others who might be considering trafficking in fentanyl.” The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Kingsport Police Department. This investigation was led by TBI Special Agent Scott Lott. Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Swecker and Mac Heavener represented the United States. This case was brought as 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 communication, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring results. ###


title: 23 Lubbock Drug Traffickers Sentenced to Combined 218 Years in Prison

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: The final defendant arrested in a large-scale drug and gun bust in Lubbock in July 2023 has been sentenced, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. In total, 23 defendants were sentenced to a combined total of 218 years in federal prison. The final defendant, Beatrice Eunice Gutierrez, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix to 18 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Thursday. “Project Safe Neighborhoods is designed to target an areas’ most dangerous offenders. Key to the initiative’s success are productive partnerships between state, federal, and local law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “We hope the Lubbock community will feel more at ease knowing these defendants will spend significant time off their streets and behind bars.” Members of the group are linked to at least one fatal overdose. The victim, identified in court documents as T.F., was located in a bedroom surrounded by blue pills later confirmed to contain fentanyl. Defendant Alexus Grubelnik later admitted she delivered the pills to his residence, hiding them under the doormat. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized more than 12,354 grams of fentanyl pills, 12,7311 grams of methamphetamine, 4393 grams of heroin, 31 grams of oxycodone, 1.26 grams of cocaine, 35 firearms, and $155,204 in U.S. currency. Those sentenced include: • Steven Paul Echols, sentenced to 210 months for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine • Rachel Michelle Melendez, sentenced to 210 months for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine • Nicolas Blake Pereida, sentenced to 240 months for distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine • Brent Reed Angelle, sentenced to 188 months for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine • Alexus Michelle Grubelnik, sentenced to 135 months for distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl • Beatrice Eunice Gutierrez, sentenced to 216 months for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine • Erik Hans Grosstueck, sentenced to 216 months for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl • Brian Jacob Miller, sentenced to 70 months for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl • Alexander Erik Pierce, sentenced to 186 months for distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl • Christian Carlisle Enochs, sentenced to 60 months for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl • Brannon Mikel Burns, sentenced to 42 months for distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl • Matthew Ryan Chandler, sentenced to 42 months for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl • Loddy Max Montoya, sentenced to 42 months for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl • Trey Matthew Parrish, sentenced to 96 months for distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl • Glen Donnell Nall, Jr., sentenced to 135 months for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine • Anthony Ray Morales, sentenced to 78 months for felon in possession of a firearm • Ronny Paul Spruiell, sentenced to 210 months for distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine • Kevontae Jalil Hawthorne, sentenced to 48 months for felon in possession of a firearm • Daniel Anthony Moreno, sentenced to 30 months for felon in possession of a firearm • Ethan Tyler Nieto, sentenced to 32 months for felon in possession of a firearm • Martin Rosalez III, aka Wedo, sentenced to 41 months for felon in possession of a firearm • Roberto Salinas, Jr., sentenced to 27 months for felon in possession of a firearm • Tevin Terelle Carrington, sentenced to 63 months for felon in possession of a firearm A number of the defendants were tied to Lubbock’s Project Safe Neighborhood zone, a high-crime hotspot where federal, state, and local law enforcement leaders collaborate to reduce violence and increase community safety. Many had extensive criminal histories, including child sexual assault, aggravated assault, burglary, fraud, manufacture and delivery of controlled substances, and unlawful carrying of firearms. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division – Lubbock Resident Agency, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division – Lubbock Resident Agency, the United States Marshal Service, the Caprock HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) Task Force, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Lubbock Police Department, the Lubbock County Sherriff’s Office, and the Texas Anti-Gang Task Force conducted the investigation and arrest operation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Long is prosecuted the case along with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeff Haag, Ann Howey, Callie Woolam, Matt McLeod, and Ryan Redd. The case is an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) case. The OCDETF program was established in 1982 in order to attack and reduce the supply of illegal drugs entering the United States and to diminish violence and other criminal activity associated with the drug trade. The OCDETF program leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the highest-level drug traffickers and drug trafficking networks using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information can be found at


title: West Covina Man Arrested for Allegedly Attempting to Pick Up Money from Elderly Victims Who Were Defrauded in Phishing Scheme

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A San Gabriel Valley man is scheduled to appear in court this afternoon on federal charges stemming from his alleged attempt to obtain additional funds from two elderly victims who had already paid thousands as part of an online phishing scheme that locked up their home computer. Tai Su, 48, of West Covina, is scheduled to make his initial appearance this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. Su was arrested Friday in a sting orchestrated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and federal prosecutors Sunday filed a criminal complaint that alleges one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Su was arrested at the victims’ Encino residence when he showed up to retrieve $35,000 from the two elderly victims who had already paid the fraudsters $25,000 in cash. According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, Su is part of a scheme that included a computer virus, callers pretending to help the victims, and two other people who masqueraded as federal agents. The cyberattack began on April 23 when the victims opened an email and clicked on a link launching malware that seized their computer and displayed a phone number that was purportedly “Microsoft Support.” The victims called the number and spoke to a person who advised they had been “hacked,” and the hackers now had their bank account information at City National Bank. The victims were then connected to another person pretending to be a “Fraud and Risk Investigator” with City National Bank, who instructed the victims to withdraw $25,000 in cash and give the money to purported “federal agents” who would come to the victims’ house. The victims withdrew the cash and, later on April 23, two men pretending to be federal agents – one of whom displayed a fake badge – came to the victims’ residence and collected the money. Over the next two days, the scammers continued to seek additional funds from the victims, even directing them to make a $10,000 withdrawal at a particular City National Bank branch. HSI agents on April 25 learned about the ongoing scam and planned a sting operation. On April 26, during a series of phone calls with participants in the scheme, the victims agreed to make another $35,000 cash payment. After rebuffing demands to deposit the funds into a virtual wallet at a remote location, the victims arranged for another pick-up by a “federal officer” at their residence. At the agreed-upon time, Su drove to the victims’ home. He identified himself to an 86-year-old victim, gave a passcode, and then said he was from Coinbase, a popular cryptocurrency platform. HSI agents then arrested Su, who was found to be carrying thousands of dollars in cash in large denominations, according to the affidavit. A criminal complaint contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud carries a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. The investigation was conducted by the Homeland Security Investigations-led El Camino Real Financial Crimes Task Force, a multi-agency task force that includes federal and state investigators who are focused on financial crimes in Southern California. Assistant United States Attorneys Kedar S. Bhatia and Joseph De Leon of the General Crimes Section are prosecuting this case. This case is the product of an investigation by the Vulnerable Communities Task Force, which is focused on investigating and prosecuting individuals and entities that prey on communities that typically are less likely to report crimes to law enforcement and historically have had less legal recourse to address the offenders targeting them. These groups may include immigrants and migrant workers defrauded in immigration schemes, indigent individuals reliant on public benefits, the elderly, and those who have been reluctant to seek assistance from government authorities. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud, and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. English, Spanish and other languages are available.


title: Orange County Sober Living Homes Owner Indicted for Allegedly Paying  Nearly $175,000 in Kickbacks to ‘Body Brokers’ for Referring Patients

body_text: SANTA ANA, California – The owner and operator of addiction treatment facilities in Orange County is expected to be arraigned today on a federal grand jury indictment alleging he paid nearly $175,000 in illegal kickbacks to so-called “body brokers” in exchange for finding him new patients. Scott Raffa, 57, of Newport Beach, was arrested Saturday at Los Angeles International Airport. He is scheduled for arraignment this afternoon in United States District Court in Santa Ana. Raffa is charged with 12 counts of illegal remunerations for referrals to clinical treatment facilities. According to the indictment that a grand jury returned on April 10, Raffa operated Orange County-based sober living homes, including Sober Partners Waterfront Recovery Center, Sober Partners Reef House, and Sober Partners Beach House. These facilities treated patient populations that received health care benefits through health insurers. Raffa allegedly paid thousands of dollars per patient in illegal kickbacks to individuals who referred patients to his facilities, a practice known as “body brokering.” The body brokers in this case each controlled their own business entities and Raffa allegedly paid them kickbacks by depositing checks or wiring money to bank accounts that the brokers controlled. The kickbacks were intended as compensation for the brokers referring patients and to induce the brokers to continue to refer patients to Raffa’s facilities, the indictment alleges. Raffa allegedly entered into sham contracts with certain body brokers that were designed to conceal the nature of the illicit payments, including by purportedly prohibiting payments from Raffa’s sober living homes based on “volume or value” of the body brokers’ patient referrals. The brokers and Raffa allegedly met or would communicate via encrypted messaging services to calculate and negotiate the kickback amounts he owed the brokers for patient referrals. The kickback amounts allegedly were based on the insurance revenues that Raffa expected to receive for the respective patients, factoring in each patient’s insurance provider and the duration of the patient’s treatment at one of his sober living homes. Raffa refused to pay the kickbacks unless patients received at least 21 days’ treatment at one of his facilities, according to the indictment. From April 2020 to October 2021, Raffa paid a total of $174,600 in illegal kickbacks to body brokers, the indictment alleges. An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. If convicted of all charges, Raffa would face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for each count. The FBI is investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin R. Barron and Nandor Kiss of the Santa Ana Branch Office are prosecuting this case.


title: Jackson County Man Sentenced to over 8 Years in Prison  for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

body_text: Gulfport, Miss. – A Jackson County man was sentenced to 105 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute 70 grams of methamphetamine. James Richard Morgan, 42, of Jackson County, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport. According to court documents, on September 11, 2018, Morgan and co-defendant Karlos Brown sold 70 grams of 42% pure methamphetamine in the parking lot of a Walmart in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Morgan and Brown were indicted by a federal grand jury on May 17, 2022. Both defendants pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Brown was sentenced on February 27, 2023, to 70 months in prison. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pascagoula Police Department, and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor- led, intelligence driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Highlands County drug dealer sentenced to prison

body_text: MIAMI – On April 25, a Highlands County drug dealer was sentenced to 121 months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, after previously pleading guilty to distribution of cocaine and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. On March 15, May 4, and May 17, 2023, Nichiren Shoshu Smith, aka Nick Drop, 48, of Sebring, Florida, sold cocaine base, commonly known as crack cocaine, in Sebring. On May 19, 2023, law enforcement officers discovered over a kilogram of cocaine, approximately 115.5 grams of cocaine base and more than $7,000 in Smith’s residence. Smith has a prior conviction for possession with intent to distribute cocaine base in the Southern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division and Sheriff Paul Blackman of the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon. DEA Miami Field Division and HCSO investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Porter prosecuted it. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 23-cr-14038. ###