title: Ghost Busted defendant who sold fatal fentanyl doses sentenced to two decades in prison

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

body_text: BRUNSWICK, GA: A Glynn County man has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to trafficking drugs that led to two fatal overdoses. Jon Dillon Screen, 32, of Brunswick, Ga., was sentenced to 240 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine and a Quantity of Fentanyl, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood also ordered Screen to serve five years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. “Dillon Screen’s sentence is among the highest of all defendants sentenced in Operation Ghost Busted, and for good reason: He sold drugs that killed people,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “This multi-agency investigation and prosecution demonstrates our commitment to holding accountable those who illegally sell fentanyl and other deadly drugs.” Operation Ghost Busted, unsealed in January 2023 as USA v. Alvarez et al., charged 76 defendants with involvement in a drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed large amounts of high-grade methamphetamine, along with fentanyl, heroin, and alprazolam in the greater Glynn County area. For more than two years, investigators from the FBI Coastal Georgia Violent Gang Task Force, the Glynn County Police Department, the Brunswick Police Department, the Glynn County Sheriff's Office, and the Camden County Sheriff's Office collaborated with multiple federal, state and local agencies to identify the sprawling drug trafficking network. The conspiracy operated inside and outside Georgia prisons, coordinated by members of the Ghost Face Gangsters working with affiliates of other criminal street gangs including the Aryan Brotherhood, Bloods, and Gangster Disciples. Screen, a member of the Gangster Disciples with a significant criminal history including a federal conviction for heroin trafficking, was a large-scale distributor and dealer in the operation. The investigation determined that two people – Screen’s 31-year-old girlfriend and a 58-year-old Brunswick man – died after injecting fentanyl obtained directly from Screen. More than 70 defendants have been sentenced in the conspiracy or are awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty. Other defendants are awaiting trial including David D. Young , a/k/a “Khaos,” 43, of Hortense, Ga., who was a fugitive until his March 10 capture in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. The remaining defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. Among the defendants previously sentenced in this case, James D. NeSmith , 26, of Brunswick, used contraband cell phones and a corrupt prison guard to coordinate the drug distribution operation as an inmate at Telfair State Prison where he was serving a life sentence for murder. He was sentenced to life in federal prison after pleading guilty in the drug trafficking conspiracy. His girlfriend Rachael P. Byrd , a/k/a “Bird is the Word,” 26, of Waverly, Ga., was a major drug distributor and transporter who served as the outside link between NeSmith and other drug dealers. She is serving a 324-month sentence after pleading guilty in the conspiracy. “In September 2021, the McIntosh County Sheriff’s Office investigated Jon Dillon Screen after his girlfriend was found deceased in Darien,” said Lt. Mike Ward with the McIntosh County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division. “In the course of several months following the untimely death of Rebecca Cain, Investigators were able to obtain evidence that resulted in the arrest of Screen. Our agency began working with the FBI and Glynn County Police Department that identified similar acts. We will continue to hold responsible those who distribute narcotics resulting in the death of others.” “Dillon Screen didn’t care whose lives he put in danger to sell his fatal drug mixtures, including his own girlfriend,” said Senior Supervisory Special Agent Will Clark of FBI Atlanta’s Brunswick office. “Operation Ghost Busted put a major dent in drug trafficking in Southeast Georgia. We will continue operations like this as long as gangs and dealers continue selling their deadly drugs.” “The charges in this indictment further demonstrate the utter brutality of this group and the havoc the gang inflicts on our communities,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “ATF and our law enforcement partners will continue to combat gang violence with relentless perseverance until the gang is dismantled and its members are brought to justice.” “Drug trafficking is not a victimless crime. Dangerous drugs are claiming lives and are damaging to the welfare of citizens and communities across the state,” said Chris Hosey, Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. “The GBI takes these crimes very seriously and will continue to participate in operations like Operation Ghost Busted alongside partners to combat drug distribution in the state of Georgia.” Operation Ghost Busted, the largest drug trafficking prosecution in the history of the Southern District of Georgia, was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Agencies involved in the investigation include the FBI Coastal Georgia Violent Gang Task Force; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Marshals Service; the Georgia Bureau of Investigation; the Georgia Department of Corrections; the Georgia Department of Community Supervision; the Glynn County Police Department; the Brunswick Police Department; the Glynn County Sheriff’s Office; and sheriff’s offices from Pierce, Camden, Wayne, Treutlen, McIntosh, Toombs, Telfair, Dodge, and Ware counties. The case is being prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer J. Kirkland and Criminal Division Deputy Chief E. Greg Gilluly Jr.


title: Arizona Doctor Pleads Guilty to Health Care Fraud

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Linh Cao Nguyen, M.D., of Peoria, pleaded guilty on March 19, 2024, to Health Care Fraud. Nguyen’s sentencing is scheduled for May 28, 2024, before United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker. Nguyen admitted that for years, he engaged in a scheme to defraud various health care benefit programs, including Medicare, TRICARE, AHCCCS, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and UnitedHealthcare. As part of his scheme, Nguyen knowingly caused to be submitted thousands of false billing claims. Nguyen also falsely created patient records to conceal and avoid detection of his fraudulent billing scheme. Generally, the fraudulent claims identified a medical doctor as the treating provider when, in fact, another provider such as a nurse practitioner, social worker, unlicensed psychology intern, or wound care nurse provided the service independently. By billing the medical service as if it were provided by a physician, Nguyen falsely inflated the amount his company was to be paid for the service. Nguyen admitted the loss he caused was at least $3.7 million dollars. Nguyen agreed to pay restitution to the private insurance companies totaling over $1 million. A conviction for Health Care Fraud carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-21-02716-TUC-JCH RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-044_Nguyen # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Pill Distributor Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Tens of Thousands of Pills Containing Fentanyl and Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Haverhill man pleaded guilty to distributing tens of thousands of pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine. Angel Joel Diaz, a/k/a “Guero,” 35, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, two counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, and one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and methadone. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for July 10, 2024. Diaz was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2023. In January 2023, an investigation began into Diaz’s fentanyl pill manufacturing and distribution operation. An undercover officer contacted Diaz posing as a potential drug customer seeking to buy counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl. On Jan. 11, 2023, Diaz provided the undercover officer with 208 pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine. Diaz told the undercover officer that the pills were made with “fentanyl” and they were “knocking people down in New York.” On two subsequent occasions, Jan. 27, 2023 and Feb. 7, 2023, Diaz distributed thousands of counterfeit prescription pills containing suspected fentanyl to the undercover officer. On Feb. 14, 2023, Diaz sent a photo of fentanyl pills to the undercover officer and said, “even making it with a mask makes you want to vomit and everything.” On Feb. 15, 2023, Diaz was arrested while carrying a shopping bag containing 31,142 fentanyl pills separated into seven plastic bags. During a subsequent search of Diaz’s Haverhill residence, a pill press; thousands of pills; powder containing fentanyl and methadone; stamps used to make counterfeit pills; several masks; and chemicals used in manufacturing pills were discovered. The charge of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charges of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl provide 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 and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Haverhill Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: Bronx Man Charged With Foreign Murder Of A U.S. National

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Nicole M. Argentieri, the Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General and head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Mehtab Syed, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the Los Angeles Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and James Smith, the Assistant Director in Charge New York Field Office of the FBI, announced today that GANET ROZARIO was charged with the murder of a U.S. national on foreign soil, specifically, in Bangladesh. ROZARIO was arrested this morning and will be presented later today in Manhattan federal court. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge George B. Daniels. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Ganet Rozario, a citizen of the United States, allegedly murdered another U.S. national in Bangladesh. Today’s charges demonstrate that the reach of this Office and that of our law enforcement partners is vast and that our commitment to protect the men and women of New York City extends far beyond its geographical boundaries. The message is clear: this Office and its partners will be relentless in our pursuit of anyone who takes another life, even overseas.” Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri said: “As alleged in the indictment, the defendant, a U.S. national, murdered another U.S. national while they were both in Bangladesh. When an American murders another American abroad, they will face serious consequences. The Criminal Division is committed to investigating and prosecuting violent crimes committed against U.S. nationals wherever they occur and holding perpetrators accountable for their actions.” FBI Los Angeles Acting Assistant Director in Charge Mehtab Syed said: “The FBI devotes significant resources to investigating crimes that occur overseas which affect U.S. interests and impact American citizens. Individuals who commit crimes against U.S. citizens abroad will be held accountable through the FBI's extraterritorial investigations, which exist to deliver justice for victims of crimes beyond U.S. borders.” FBI New York Assistant Director in Charge James Smith said: “Ganet Rozario allegedly committed the cold and calculated murder of Michael Rozario, a United States national, overseas in Bangladesh. It’s not up to the discretion of a single individual to take the life of another as this greatly disrupts the scales of justice. Today’s arrest emphasizes the FBI’s promise to aggressively pursue such egregious criminal acts against our citizens, even if they occur in foreign countries.” According to the allegations contained in the Indictment: [1] On June 11, 2021, GANET ROZARIO shot and killed Michael Rozario in Bangladesh. * * * ROZARIO, 52, of the Bronx, New York, is charged with the foreign murder of a U.S. national, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison, and use and carrying of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, which was discharged, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for information purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and thanked the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs for its assistance. The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Violent & Organized Crime Unit, in conjunction with the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik and Senior Trial Attorney Frank Rangoussis of the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section are in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Winter Springs Man Charged With Armed Robbery Spree

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, FL –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg the return by a grand jury of an indictment charging Marlon Leondre Lockhart (21, Winter Springs) with four counts of Hobbs Act robbery and four counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. If convicted on all counts, Lockhart faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 28 years, up to life, in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Lockhart that the United States intends to forfeit the Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol and associated ammunition which are alleged to be used during the commission of the offenses. According to the indictment, between November 24, 2023, and December 14, 2023, Lockhart stole property from four local businesses. It is alleged that Lockhart stole the property by taking it from the employees of the business against their will and by actual or threatened force, violence, and fear of injury to the employee’s person. Further, it is alleged that Lockhart brandished a firearm during each robbery. 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, and the Orlando Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Lyons. 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: Daytona Beach Woman Pleads Guilty To Stealing Over $88k Of Veterans Affairs Funds

body_text: Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Tijuanna J. Thomas (65, Daytona Beach) has pleaded guilty to theft of government property. Thomas faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. As part of her plea, Thomas has agreed to forfeit $88,440, the proceeds of her criminal conduct, and to make full restitution to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Social Security Administration (SSA). Thomas is scheduled to be sentenced on July 10, 2024. According to the plea agreement, R.S. received both VA and Social Security benefits, which were direct deposited into a checking account he shared with Thomas. R.S. died on May 6, 2016. Thomas did not report R.S.’s death to the VA or the SSA, which continued to deposit benefits for R.S. into the account, thinking he was still alive. Thomas took those benefits, to which she was not entitled, and spent them on her own personal expenses. This case was investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Southeast Field Office and the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Del Mastro.


title: New York Man Arrested for Murder Occurring in Bangladesh

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A Bronx man was arrested today in Manhattan on criminal charges related to the alleged 2021 murder of a man in Bangladesh. “As alleged in the indictment, the defendant, a U.S. national, murdered another U.S. national while they were both in Bangladesh,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “When an American murders another American abroad, they will face serious consequences. The Criminal Division is committed to investigating and prosecuting violent crimes committed against U.S. nationals wherever they occur and holding perpetrators accountable for their actions.” According to court documents, on or about June 11, 2021, Ganet Rozario, 52, of the Bronx, New York, killed Michael Rozario in Bangladesh. Ganet Rozario allegedly used and carried a firearm to carry out the murder. “Ganet Rozario, a citizen of the United States, allegedly murdered another U.S. national in Bangladesh,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York. “Today’s charges demonstrate that the reach of this office and that of our law enforcement partners is vast and that our commitment to protect the men and women of New York City extends far beyond its geographical boundaries. The message is clear: this office and its partners will be relentless in our pursuit of anyone who takes another life, even overseas.” “The FBI devotes significant resources to investigating crimes that occur overseas which affect U.S. interests and impact American citizens,” said Acting Assistant Director in Charge Mehtab Syed of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office. “Individuals who commit crimes against U.S. citizens abroad will be held accountable through the FBI’s extraterritorial investigations, which exist to deliver justice for victims of crimes beyond U.S. borders.” “Ganet Rozario allegedly committed the cold and calculated murder of Michael Rozario, a U.S. national, overseas in Bangladesh,” said Assistant Director in Charge James H. Smith III of the FBI New York Field Office. “It’s not up to the discretion of a single individual to take the life of another as this greatly disrupts the scales of justice. Today’s arrest emphasizes the FBI’s promise to aggressively pursue such egregious criminal acts against our citizens, even if they occur in foreign countries. Ganet Rozario will also make his court appearance today in the Southern District of New York. Ganet Rozario is charged with one count of foreign murder of a U.S. national and one count of use, carrying, and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. The FBI Los Angeles and New York Field Offices investigated the case. Senior Trial Attorney Frank Rangoussis of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik for the Southern District of New York are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided assistance. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Indictment


title: Previously Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Violent Crime Spree

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A previously convicted felon pleaded guilty in federal court to charges arising from a violent crime spree over two months in 2021. Procopio Montoya Atkinson , 26, pleaded guilty in federal court to interference with commerce by robbery, using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, assault upon a federal officer involving use of a deadly weapon, carjacking and being a felon in possession a firearm and ammunition. According to court documents, on November 12, 2021, Atkinson robbed the Dollar General store at 201 Montano Rd NW. When the cashier opened the register, Atkinson tried to take money from the drawer, but the cashier closed the register drawer. Atkinson pulled out a firearm, discharged it into the ceiling, and demanded money. Another employee opened the register drawer and Atkinson took approximately $192. On December 17, 2021, Atkinson forcibly assaulted a Task Force Officer with the United States Marshal Service who was attempting to arrest Atkinson on outstanding warrants. Atkinson saw the task force officer stopped on the side of a road and pointed a firearm at him as he passed by. On December 20, 2021, Atkinson was being pursued by Belen police when he committed a carjacking. Atkinson ran out of gas and approached an occupied truck, pointed a firearm at the driver and told him to get out of the truck. During an ensuing struggle, Atkinson shot the driver. Atkinson got into the truck and tried to drive away but was blocked in by police. In his plea agreement, Atkinson admitted that he knew that he was convicted of several felony offenses and therefore he could not legally possess a firearm or ammunition. The Court ordered that Atkinson remain in detention pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. At sentencing, Atkinson faces no less than 10 years and up to life in prison. There is no parole in the federal system. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, made the announcement today. The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the United States Marshal Service, Belen Police Department, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, Albuquerque Police Department, Rio Rancho Police Department and the New Mexico State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Trembley is prosecuting the case. View the Plea Agreement # # #


title: Laredo man admits to smuggling toddler from Mexico into South Texas

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: LAREDO, Texas – A 27-year-old man has pleaded guilty for attempting to transport a two-year-old child from Mexico further into the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Julio Chavez-Olan admitted to making an agreement with another person to transport the girl in exchange for financial gain. On Nov. 23, 2023, Chavez-Olan arrived at the Juarez Lincoln Bridge Port of Entry in Laredo driving a grey Honda sedan with a two-year-old child in the backseat. He attempted to enter the United States by claiming the girl was his own daughter and presented law enforcement with her birth certificate. Upon primary inspection, Chavez-Olan showed family photographs to authorities, claiming the photos included the child in the backseat. Law enforcement then referred Chavez-Olan to secondary inspection where further investigation determined the photographs did not depict the two-year-old girl and were instead of his daughter and niece. The investigation also revealed the minor was not related to Chavez-Olan and was not accompanied by a parent, legal guardian or family member during the smuggling attempt. U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo will impose sentencing July 16. At that time, Chavez-Olan faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. Chavez-Olan was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing. Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Terence Andrew Check Jr. is prosecuting the case.


title: Long Island Man Charged with Distributing Fentanyl, Heroin, Cocaine and Oxycodone

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Defendant Distributed Fentanyl that Caused the Death of a 49-Year-Old Man in Elmont Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, a two-count indictment was unsealed charging Ryan Mueller with distributing fentanyl that caused the death of a victim (Victim‑1) and with conspiring to distribute heroin, cocaine, and oxycodone. Mueller was arrested this morning and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before Magistrate Judge Anne Y. Shields. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Frank A. Tarentino, III, Special Agent-in-Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Darren B. McCormack, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Patrick J. Ryder, Commissioner Nassau County Police Department (PDCN) announced the arrest and the charges. “As alleged, the defendant purposely disguised fentanyl to look like prescription drugs and sold them to unsuspecting customers, leading to the poisoning death of a Long Island resident,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “The defendant’s callous disregard for human life in pushing deadly drugs on to the streets of Long Island concealed as prescription drugs has contributed to the alarming opioid epidemic that has continued to harm communities in this district.” “Today’s arrest shows the commitment the DEA and our law enforcement partners have in targeting those individuals who are poisoning our communities. Fentanyl is a lethal drug that dealers mix into their product knowing the harmful effects it presents to those using it, including death” stated DEA New York Division Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino. “We will continue to bring those responsible for this deadly distribution to justice.” “It is appalling how criminals attempt to profit from the distribution of fentanyl which has led to a rising number of overdose and poisoning fatalities,” said HSI New York acting Special Agent in Charge Darren B. McCormack. “HSI New York continues to prioritize investigations into individuals and organizations that intentionally misrepresent fentanyl, heroin and other dangerous opioids as prescription drugs, having a devastating impact on the health of our citizens and the safety of our neighborhoods. Together with our law enforcement partners, HSI New York is committed to crippling and dismantling the illicit drug supply chains plaguing our American communities.” “Today’s indictment of defendant Ryan Mueller for selling Fentanyl, Heroin, Cocaine and Oxycodone to numerous individuals and lead to the death of a 49 year old Elmont man is a clear message that these crimes will never be tolerated. In addition, Defendant Mueller was also in possession of numerous illegal firearms in which he is also being charged with. Law Enforcement continues to work together to bring these criminals to justice, thus keeping our communities and neighborhoods safe. I would like to congratulate all of the dedicated law enforcement professionals and their agencies for a job well done,” stated Nassau County Police Department Commissioner Ryder. According to court filings, over the last several years, the defendant conspired with others to sell several controlled substances, including heroin, cocaine, oxycodone, and fentanyl. The investigation revealed that in December 2022, a 49-year-old individual (Victim-1) died of a drug-related overdose at his residence in Elmont, Long Island. Additional investigation showed that the fentanyl that killed Victim-1, which was in a pressed pill that made it appear to be oxycodone, was sold to the victim by the defendant. During the investigation, law enforcement officers recovered several kilos of fentanyl from the defendant’s home. Law enforcement also recovered multiple pill press parts from another location controlled by the defendant, including powder dryers, blenders, and grinders. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Justice, in 2019, nearly 71,000 people died from drug overdoses, making it a leading cause of injury-related death in the United States. The increase in overdose deaths has been driven in large part by fentanyl, a drug that has been described as 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. In 2019, over 14,000 people died in the United States from a drug overdose involving heroin. From 2013 to 2019, the synthetic opioid death rate increased by more than 1,000 percent. Of those deaths, over 70% involved a prescription or illicit opioid. Among New York State residents, the number of overdose deaths involving any opioid increased each year between 2010 and 2017, with an overall increase of 200.2 percent from 1,074 in 2010 to 3,224 in 2017, according to the New York State Health Department. If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or FindTreatment.gov . If convicted on the charges in the indictment, the defendant faces a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a maximum sentence of life. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorney Adam R. Toporovsky is in charge of the prosecution. The Defendant : RYAN MUELLER Age: 32 Lynbrook, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-134


title: Justice Department Secures Agreement with Dallas-Based Management Services Company to Resolve Claims of Employment Discrimination

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it secured a settlement agreement with Riata Corporate Group LLC, a Dallas-based company that provides management services to the energy and consumer goods sectors. The settlement resolves the department’s determination that the company violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) when it discriminated against an applicant by refusing to consider her for employment because she is a naturalized United States citizen. “Discrimination against workers based on their citizenship or immigration status not only harms workers, but employers as well, because they miss out on qualified applicants,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Ignorance of the law is no excuse, and the Justice Department will continue to hold accountable employers that violate our nation’s federal civil rights laws.” The Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) opened an investigation based on a worker’s complaint and determined that, in October 2023, Riata unlawfully discriminated against her even though the company had initially recruited her for employment. After learning the worker is a naturalized U.S. citizen, the company informed her that it could not hire her because of her citizenship status. The department determined that Riata rejected the worker because it misunderstood one of its government contracts to require the company to hire only U.S.-born citizens. The INA prohibits employers from discriminating against workers based on their citizenship or immigration status, unless the discrimination is required by a law, regulation, executive order or government contract. Although Riata had a government contract that required it to hire only U.S. citizens for certain work, the contract did not authorize Riata to exclude naturalized U.S. citizens. Under the terms of the settlement, Riata will pay lost wages to the affected worker. The agreement also requires Riata to pay a civil penalty to the United States, train its staff on the INA’s anti-discrimination provision, revise its employment policies and be subject to monitoring and reporting requirements. IER is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. The statute prohibits citizenship status and national origin discrimination in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee, unfair documentary practices and retaliation and intimidation . Find more information on how employers can avoid discrimination in recruitment and hiring on IER’s website . Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video . Applicants or employees who believe they were discriminated against based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing, recruitment or during the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify) or subjected to retaliation, may file a charge . The public can also call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); sign up for a live webinar or watch an on-demand presentation ; email IER@usdoj.gov or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Sign up for email updates from IER.


title: El Departamento de Justicia llega a un acuerdo con una empresa de servicios de gestión con sede en Dallas para resolver acusaciones de discriminación en el empleo

body_text: El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha llegado a un acuerdo conciliatorio con Riata Corporate Group LLC, una empresa con sede en Dallas que presta servicios de gestión a los sectores de energía y bienes de consumo. El acuerdo resuelve la determinación del departamento de que la empresa infringió la ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad (INA) cuando discriminó a un solicitante al negarse a considerarla para el empleo porque es ciudadana estadounidense naturalizada. «La discriminación a los trabajadores basada en su ciudadanía o estatus migratorio no solo perjudica a los trabajadores, sino también a los empleadores, porque pierden a los solicitantes cualificados», afirmó Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «La ignorancia de la ley no sirve de excusa, y el Departamento de Justicia seguirá responsabilizando a los empleadores que infrinjan las leyes federales de derechos civiles de nuestra nación». La Sección de Derechos de Inmigrantes y Empleados (IER, por sus siglas en inglés), de la División de Derechos Civiles, inició una investigación basada en la queja de una trabajadora y determinó que, en octubre de 2023, Riata la discriminó ilegalmente, aunque la empresa la había reclutado inicialmente para el empleo. Después de enterarse de que el trabajador es ciudadana naturalizada, la empresa le informó de que no podía contratarla debido a su estatus de ciudadanía. El Departamento determinó que Riata rechazó a la trabajadora porque malinterpretó uno de sus contratos gubernamentales, creyendo que exige que la empresa contrate solamente a ciudadanos nacidos en los EE. UU. La INA prohíbe que los empleadores discriminen a los trabajadores con base en su estatus migratorio o ciudadanía, a menos que una ley, un reglamento, una orden ejecutiva o un contrato gubernamental requiera tal discriminación. Aunque Riata tenía un contrato con el gobierno que le exigía contratar solo a ciudadanos de los EE. UU. para ciertos trabajos, el contrato no autorizó a Riata a excluir a los ciudadanos naturalizados de los EE. UU. Según los términos del acuerdo, Riata pagará los salarios perdidos al trabajador afectado. El acuerdo también requiere que Riata pague una sanción civil a los Estados Unidos, que capacite a su personal en cuanto a los requisitos antidiscriminatorios de la INA, que revise sus políticas de empleo y que se someta a ciertos requisitos de supervisión y declaración. La IER es responsable de hacer cumplir la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA. La ley prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de estatus de ciudadanía y nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido o reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión, prácticas documentales injustas y represalias e intimidación . Puede obtener más información sobre cómo los empleadores pueden evitar la discriminación en la contratación y el reclutamiento en el sitio web de la IER . Aprenda más sobre el trabajo de la IER y cómo conseguir ayuda mediante este vídeo corto . Aquellos aspirantes o empleados que creen haber sido discriminados por motivos de su ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido, reclutamiento o verificación de la elegibilidad para trabajar (Formulario I-9 e E-Verify) o sujetos a represalias pueden presentar una denuncia . El público también puede llamar a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores al 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); llamar a la línea directa de la IER para empleadores al 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); inscribirse a un seminario en línea en vivo o visualizar una presentación a la carta; enviar un correo electrónico a IER@usdoj.gov ; o visitar los sitios web de la IER en inglés y español . Inscríbase para recibir actualizaciones por correo electrónico desde la IER.


title: United States Attorney Co-Hosts Anti-Fraud Coalition Roundtable

number: 2024-045_TAFC Roundtable

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Last week, United States Attorney Gary M. Restaino co-hosted a stakeholder discussion on qui tam, or whistleblower, cases under the civil False Claims Act (FCA). The event was also hosted by The Anti-Fraud Coalition (TAFC), a public interest, non-profit organization dedicated to defending and empowering whistleblowers who expose fraud on the government and the financial markets. The roundtable was part of U.S. Attorney Restaino’s effort and commitment to working with whistleblowers, and attorneys who represent them, to pursue civil enforcement actions against those who obtain government funds through false or fraudulent claims. Speakers included U.S. Attorney Restaino and members of the United States Attorney’s Office Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit. Attendees included several attorneys who specialize in representing whistleblowers. The panel discussion focused on how federal prosecutors can continue to work effectively with whistleblowers and their attorneys in a successful public-private partnership as contemplated by the FCA’s qui tam provisions. A representative from TAFC moderated the discussion. “Those who abuse government programs and contracts deprive their neighbors and communities and competitors of valuable resources,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “In our affirmative civil enforcement work we protect the public fisc. We also celebrate the courage of whistleblowers, the energy, compassion and collegiality of the private plaintiffs’ bar, and the hard work and dedication of federal lawyers, auditors and investigators.” Under the False Claims Act, individuals (known as “relators”) may file civil actions under seal on behalf of the government against companies and individuals who defraud the federal government. If the defendants pay settlements or the government is awarded judgment in these lawsuits, the relators receive a portion of those funds. Many fraud investigations and lawsuits, especially in the District of Arizona, originate with qui tam filings against health care providers, defense contractors, grant recipients, and others who commit fraud against the government. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona has long enjoyed an excellent working relationship with qui tam relators and their counsel. As a testament to that relationship, an analysis in 2018 showed the District of Arizona had the fastest-growing qui tam docket in the nation, with filings increasing 170% from fiscal years 2008-2012 to 2013-2017. Whistleblower filings in the District of Arizona further increased in fiscal years 2018-2023. Those filings and other affirmative civil matters handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office have resulted in significant recoveries of government funds that were intended for health care, defense contracting, relief from the COVID-19 pandemic, and other federal programs and purposes but were received by those who submitted, or were alleged to have submitted, false or fraudulent claims. Individuals with information regarding fraud, waste, or abuse related to federal programs should contact the relevant federal agency. A list of agencies and contact information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/usao-az/agency-links . RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-045_TAFC Roundtable # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Man sentenced to 27 years in prison for production of child pornography of infant child

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – On April 1, a man was sentenced to 324 months in federal prison, followed by supervised release for life, for producing child pornography of an infant child after pleading guilty in November 2023. In 2023, while the United Kingdom authorities were examining offenders’ electronic devices, discovered a video showing Codey Allen Bates, 30, of Vero Beach, Florida, and an infant child. Law enforcement officers were able to identify Bates from the video. In the video, Bates, then living in Palm Beach County, while live streaming with an unknown person on a social networking application, produced child pornography of the child. The unknown person communicating with Bates recorded the production which was later located by law enforcement. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami and Sheriff Eric Flowers of the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office (IRCSO) announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Robin L. Rosenberg. HSI West Palm Beach, HSI Fort Pierce and IRCSO investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Schiller prosecuted it. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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 the Project Safe Childhood initiative and for information regarding Internet safety, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . To report online child sexual exploitation, use the electronic Cyber Tip Line or call 1-800-843-5678. The Cyber Tip Line is operated by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in partnership with the HSI and other law enforcement agencies. 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-80123. ###


title: Three Individuals Arrested And Charged With Access Device Fraud As Part Of A Multi-District Operation

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: OAKLAND – Three individuals were charged with the use of unauthorized access devices were filed this week, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and United States Secret Service (“USSS”) – San Francisco Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Shawn Bradstreet. The three defendants—Petrica Mosneagu, 44; Ionut Sopirla, 38; and Virgil Tudorascu, 42, all of Romania—were charged with stealing Electronic Benefit Transfer (“EBT”) account information and making fraudulent cash withdrawals at ATMs using that stolen EBT information in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1029(a)(2). The defendants were arrested in a multi-district, USSS-led operation, which resulted in several arrests this week, including in the Southern District of California. According to the public criminal complaints, law enforcement agencies have been investigating EBT theft across California for the past fourteen months. The complaints allege that the California Department of Social Services has identified that approximately $22.8 million has been stolen from victim EBT card beneficiaries from January to March 2024 in California, including in the Northern District of California. Most of these stolen funds have been obtained by unauthorized ATM withdrawals. Furthermore, the complaints allege that victims of the scheme are largely low-income families who depend on EBT benefits to buy food and other household necessities. The complaints allege that the defendants fraudulently withdrew cash with “cloned” cards, which are debit cards, gift cards, or other devices with magnetic strips that have been encoded with information from legitimate EBT cards. The account holders’ account information was primarily “skimmed” at ATMs or point-of-sale terminals. Skimming devices recorded victim account holder account information on the magnetic strips and log their PINs through keypad overlays. Once skimmed, the victim account holders’ account information was then loaded onto blank or repurposed debit cards, which the defendants then used to withdraw cash or make purchases. If convicted, each defendant face a maximum statutory sentence of ten years in prison on each charge. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. Defendants Mosneagu and Sopirla made their initial appearances Tuesday morning in Oakland and will appear for their detention hearings on April 10, 2024, before the Honorable Kandis A. Westmore. Defendant Tudorascu made his initial appearance Thursday morning and will also appear for his detention hearing on April 10, 2024. Criminal complaints only allege that crimes have been committed, and each defendant must be presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis James and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Glimcher are prosecuting these cases, with the help of Katie Turner and Kay Konopaske. These prosecutions are the result of an investigation by the USSS, California Department of Social Services, U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), San Francisco Human Services Agency – Special Investigations Unit, Pleasant Hill PD, Richmond PD, Oakland PD, Berkeley PD, Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, Romanian National Police, and U.S. Secret Service Bucharest.


title: Kingsport Man Convicted at Trial on Firearm Charge

component: USAO - Tennessee, Eastern

body_text: Greeneville, Tenn. – On April 3, 2024, following a two day trial in United States District Court in the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville, before the Honorable J. Ronnie Greer, United States District Judge, a federal jury convicted Eric Eugene Robinson, 55, of Kingsport, Tennessee, of being a felon in possession of a firearm in violation of 18 U.S.C. §922(g)(3). Sentencing is set for July 22, 2024, at 9:00 a.m., before Judge Greer in United States District Court in Greeneville, Tennessee. Robinson faces a sentence of a minimum of 15 years, up to life, in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to five years. The evidence and testimony presented during the trial showed that in early September of 2020, surveillance was conducted at a residence in Kingsport, which determined that Robinson, a convicted felon, was in possession of a firearm. A search warrant was executed at the residence by the Kingsport Police Department and, during the search, a 9mm pistol, with a loaded magazine, was located beneath a couch in the living room of the residence. An agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) testified that the firearm was manufactured in Brazil and imported into Bainbridge, Georgia, before ultimately arriving in Tennessee. United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton, III of the Eastern District of Tennessee made the announcement. Kingsport Police Department officer Mike Slater, formerly a Task Force Officer assigned to the ATF led the investigation with assistance from agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the ATF. Assistant United States Attorney B. Todd Martin and Special Assistant United States Attorney AnCharlene Davis represented the United States at trial. 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: 23-Year-Old Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Distributing Fentanyl that Nearly Killed a Park City Resident

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A U.S. District Court Judge sentenced Colin Andrew Shapard, 23, of Las Vegas, Nevada to 240 months’ imprisonment today, followed by 36 months supervised release. In December 2023, Shapard pleaded guilty to distribution of a controlled substance that resulted in serious bodily injury. Fentanyl Shapard shipped via U.S. Mail, nearly killed a Park City, Utah resident after the man overdosed in 2022. See prior release here . DEA According to court documents, an investigation into Mr. Shapard began in November 2021 after a Park City resident reported to investigators that he obtained the drugs he possessed from Shapard. The resident also told investigators that in 2016, Shapard was the person who supplied a dangerous synthetic opioid to two 13-year-old middle-school students in Park City, who died as a result of ingesting the substance. Mr. Shapard was charged in juvenile court for the deaths of the two teens. Those offenses were processed through the juvenile court system as Shapard was a juvenile at the time. In December 2021, subsequent to a search warrant, investigators identified and seized two shipments of counterfeit blue M30 pills laced with fentanyl that were mailed from Las Vegas to Utah. Simultaneously, DEA agents also learned that from December 2021 to May 2021, U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized four illicit drug shipments addressed to Shapard from the Netherlands. Additionally, in October 2020 customs enforcement agents in Germany seized two U.S. bound packages addressed to Shapard that contained illegal amphetamine-based drugs. Also in 2020, agents learned that Shapard received a FedEx package to a Midvale, Utah address that contained chemicals utilized in the manufacture of the drug GHB and or fentanyl. In 2022, undercover DEA agents purchased drugs from Shapard. Mr. Shapard told the undercover agent that the “blues” he sold were legitimate pharmaceuticals that he acquired from Canada. Shapard also claimed he tested every shipment of pills he received to confirm they did not contain fentanyl, when in fact they did. In February 2022, the Park City resident was found on the floor unresponsive by his father. The father called 911 and began CPR. When emergency medical personnel arrived, they administered Naloxone, also referred to as Narcan, to the victim. Narcan is a drug that reverses the effects of opioids, including fentanyl, and is effective only on opioids. The victim was hospitalized and survived. The following day, DEA agents discovered that the victim overdosed on blue M30 fentanyl pills, which were purchased from Shapard. On March 8, 2022, Shapard was arrested. “Community safety is a top priority for my office,” said U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah. “Mr. Shapard not only knowingly sold dangerous synthetic opioids, but he did so while deceiving his customers about the nature of the product. Fentanyl is 100 times stronger than morphine and 50 times stronger than heroin. Had it not been for the quick response from the victim’s family and the fast acting first responders who administered Narcan this would have been a more tragic outcome. My office will vigorously prosecute those who distribute this poison in the state of Utah, particularly those who repeat the same behavior.” “There is no outcome that can fully heal the destruction caused by Mr. Shapard’s actions. Nevertheless, today’s sentencing is an important step toward justice for the victim and the many family members and friends affected by Mr. Shapard’s distribution of deadly fentanyl. The tireless work on this case by some of DEA’s finest investigators is proof that the DEA is unwavering in its commitment to pursuing those criminals who seek to distribute poison in our communities," said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Dustin Gillespie, of the Salt Lake City District Office. DEA “Mr. Shapard continued to profit off numerous individuals with his fentanyl-laced pills even after being charged for the deaths of two teenagers in 2016. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is committed to bringing all individuals to justice who use the U.S. Mail for their illegal activities. This significant sentence sends a message to drug traffickers who have no regard for human life, and we thank our law enforcement partners for their excellent teamwork,” said Inspector in Charge Glen Henderson of the USPIS Phoenix Division. The case was part of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Park City Police Department, and the Summit County Sheriff’s Office. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.


title: Member of the Gangster Disciples Sentenced to 235 Months in Prison for Role in Wide-Ranging, Prison-Based Conspiracy

component: USAO - Alabama, Northern

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala – The last defendant involved in a prison-based phone scam that targeted retailers throughout the country has been sentenced, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis. U.S. District Court Judge Anna M. Manasco sentenced Otis Bowers aka “Big O,” 44 , of Bessemer, to 235 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Bowers smuggled controlled substances and other contraband into Donaldson Correctional Facility, which helped further the prison-based phone scam at the center of the investigation. U.S. District Court Judge Karon O. Bowdre previously sentenced seven other defendants involved in the scheme, including the following: On August 15, 2023, one of the organizers and leaders of the conspiracy, Ricardo Poole, Sr., aka “Raoul,” 48, of Bessemer, was sentenced to 234 months in prison. He pleaded guilty in April 2023 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, and aggravated identity theft. On November 20, 2023, a manager and supervisor of the conspiracy, Kortney Jovan Simon, 43, of Birmingham, was sentenced to 144 months in prison. Simon pleaded guilty in January 2023 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and aggravated identity theft. On October 3, 2023, a “skit” caller involved with the conspiracy, Terry Ray Bradshaw, aka “Skitzo,” 39, of Remlap, was sentenced to 61 months in prison. Bradshaw pleaded guilty in February 2023 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and aggravated identity theft. On June 27, 2023, Ricardo Poole, Jr., 25, of Birmingham was sentenced to 15 months in prison. Poole, Jr. pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. According to court documents, between September 2020 and May 2022, Poole Sr. led a group of inmates housed at Donaldson Correctional Facility (Donaldson), who used telephone scams called “skits” to trick employees at The Home Depot, Inc. (Home Depot) into activating pre-paid gift cards. “Skit runners” used contraband cell phones, social engineering techniques, and spoofing technology to trick retailers into transferring funds to inmates under fraudulent pretenses. The defendants would use the fraudulently activated gift cards to make purchases. Bradshaw was a “skit runner” who was housed at Donaldson for most of the period charged in the indictment. In private Facebook messages Bradshaw referred to himself as a “hacker” and a “professional phone scam artist.” On November 21, 2020, for example, Bradshaw told a Facebook contact that he was “the best scam artist this side of [the] Mississippi.” During the relevant period, Bradshaw worked for members of the Gangster Disciples—a violent national criminal gang, founded in Chicago, and active across the U.S., including Alabama. At all relevant times, Poole Sr., Simon, and Bowers were members of the Gangster Disciples. Poole, Jr. assisted Poole, Sr. in the carrying out the scheme. Bradshaw targeted Home Depot and other retailers with “skit” calls. He would then provide the gift card information he obtained to other members of the conspiracy who would purchase products or take steps to liquidate the cards. In exchange for his work as a “skit runner,” Bradshaw received protection from the Gangster Disciples, luxury items like Cartier glasses, and controlled substances like methamphetamine. As Poole Sr. explained in a series of messages he sent to a co-conspirator: “I got to pay the dude that be ordering shit,” “[h]e on ice so I got to keep him hi[gh],” and “I got to pay this dude to keep this shit coming.” In connection with this aspect of the scheme, Poole, Sr. conspired with Bowers and others to smuggle controlled substances into Donaldson, including methamphetamine and heroin. One of the ways in which members of the conspiracy smuggled contraband into Donaldson and other ADOC facilities was by paying bribes to correctional staff. At other times, members of the conspiracy smuggled contraband into Donaldson and other ADOC facilities by throwing it over the perimeter fence, i.e ., the “fence play.” As Poole Sr. explained to a co-conspirator, “I can get it thrown over or I can have it placed somewhere out there and have it brought in.” In March 2022, Bowers and Poole Sr. worked together to smuggle controlled substances and other contraband into Donaldson in a “fence play.” The scheme was interrupted by law enforcement who confronted a group of co-conspirators trespassing on state property at Donaldson. After being confronted by ADOC officers, the subjects dropped multiple bags containing contraband and fled into a wooded area near the facility. Among other things, the bags contained heroin, cocaine, fentanyl, Delta-Nine-Tetrahydrocannabinol, and over a kilogram methamphetamine. ADOC officers also recovered a Ruger, Model LC9, 9mm pistol; 15 rounds of 9mm ammunition; an extended gun magazine; five pocket knives, one canister of pepper spray; 15 packages of Suboxone, a prescription medication used to treat opioid use disorder; 7 packages of Buprenorphine, another prescription medication used to treat opioid use disorder; 18 small packages containing more than 3.2 kilograms of suspected marijuana; 27 packages of THC gummies; cell phones; cell phone chargers; cell phone cables; a mobile hotspot; memory cards; SIM cards; scales; lighters; individually wrapped cigarillos and cigar wrappers; and shoes, jewelry, and watches. The U.S. Secret Service Cyber Fraud Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edward J. Canter and John M. Hundscheid prosecuted the case. Home Depot’s Asset Protection Investigations – Organized Retail Crime Group, the Alabama Department of Corrections Law Enforcement Services Division, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation all provided significant assistance during the investigation.


title: Latin Kings Leader Sentenced To Life Plus Seven Years In Prison For The 2017 Murder Of Joshua Flores

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JONATHAN GARCIA, a/k/a “Jayo,” was sentenced to life plus seven years in prison for the May 2017 murder of Joshua Flores. GARCIA, who was a leader in the Latin Kings gang, shot and killed Flores in front of a playground on a residential street in Queens, New York, while Flores was running away from GARCIA. GARCIA was sentenced by U.S District Judge Valerie E. Caproni after being convicted by a jury following a four-day trial in June 2023. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Jonathan Garcia gunned down his victim, 23-year-old Joshua Flores, to gain standing within the violent Latin Kings street gang. Then, Garcia bragged about the murder for years as he advanced in the ranks of the Latin Kings and engaged in additional violence and drug trafficking with his fellow gang members. Gang violence will not be tolerated in this community. This Office remains fully committed to working with our law enforcement partners to root out gang violence from the streets of New York City.” According to court filings and the evidence presented in court during the trial: GARCIA is a member of a racketeering enterprise known as the Latin Kings and, specifically, the set, or “tribe,” of the Latin Kings known as the Black Mob, which operates in the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, and Long Island. In order to enrich the enterprise, protect and expand its criminal operations, enforce discipline among its members, and retaliate against members of rival gangs, members and associates of the Black Mob committed, conspired, attempted, and threatened to commit acts of violence; distributed and possessed with intent to distribute narcotics, including heroin, fentanyl, and crack; committed robberies; and obtained, possessed, and used firearms. In December 2019 and April 2021, several members and associates of the Black Mob, including its senior-most leaders, were charged with racketeering offenses, narcotics conspiracy, and firearms offenses. GARCIA has been a member of the Latin Kings since at least 2012. On May 18, 2017, GARCIA brought a firearm to a meeting with other Latin Kings members with whom he had been arguing and who intended to revoke GARCIA’s membership in the Latin Kings. During the meeting, next to a park and playground in a residential area of Queens, GARCIA began arguing with the other gang members. When the argument escalated, one of GARCIA’s associates fired a warning shot into the air, and gang members immediately began running away. GARCIA then took the firearm from his associate and shot at the fleeing gang members, hitting Joshua Flores, who was trying to run away. The bullet went through Flores’s back, into his jaw, and killed him. The murder elevated GARCIA’s status within the Latin Kings, including the Black Mob, with whom GARCIA committed additional crimes in the years after the murder. * * * GARCIA, 29, of Queens, New York, was previously found guilty of conspiracy to commit racketeering, murder in aid of racketeering, narcotics conspiracy, and use of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New York City Police Department. 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 . This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam S. Hobson, David J. Robles, and Patrick R. Moroney are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Former Romulus Mayor Sentenced For Theft and Misuse of Campaign Funds

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – Former Romulus Mayor LeRoy Burcroff, 59, of Romulus, was sentenced to three years probation with four months home confinement following his theft and misuse of over $15,000 in campaign funds, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison. Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Burcroff was elected mayor of the City of Romulus in 2014. As part of his election efforts, Burcroff established a committee to elect (CTE) fund entitled, “Committee to Elect LeRoy D. Burcroff.” According to court documents, over the next two-and-a-half years, Burcroff defrauded donors to his CTE account by using these campaign funds for his personal benefit rather than for his election. For example, in November 2017, Burcroff spent over $3,500 of his campaign donors’ money to pay for a family member’s wedding. Burcroff spent the CTE money on a church fee, a banquet room rental, flowers, and the wedding bar tab. In 2017 and 2018, Burcroff used CTE funds to pay over $11,600 in dues and expenses to a yacht club which he used for his personal benefit. On multiple occasions, Burcroff overpaid his yacht club dues using his campaign account, which resulted in the yacht club issuing a refund, which Burcroff deposited in his personal bank account. In 2018, Burcroff made a $1,000 donation of campaign funds to a trade industry with the hope that he would receive a promotion at his private sector job. In 2019, Burcroff spent over $4,000 of campaign funds on a personal vacation to Florida with friends. United States Attorney Ison said, “Trust in our state’s campaign finance system is a critical component of a healthy representative democracy. Mr. Burcroff’s conviction and sentence underscores our commitment to ensuring that the citizens of the Eastern District are represented by public officials who have integrity and are seeking office not for their self-interest, but for the good of the people they are elected to represent.” "The citizens of Michigan demand and deserve utmost trust and integrity in our campaign finance system," said Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the FBI in Michigan. "The former Mayor's actions severely undermined the confidence of those who bestowed trust and faith in him and his office. The FBI and law enforcement partners are fully dedicated to fighting public corruption by investigating and exposing corrupt officials whose greed erodes the public's trust in the government. We will not tolerate misconduct and will do everything we can to ensure justice is served." The investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Detroit Area Corruption Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eaton P. Brown.


title: Guilford Man Sentenced to 26 Years in Prison for Coercing and Threatening Children to Produce Sexually Explicit Material

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CHRISTOPHER MICHAELSON, 39, of Guilford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 312 months of imprisonment, followed by 20 years of supervised release, for coercing and threatening minors to send him sexually explicit images of themselves. According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 9, 2019, the Guilford Police Department assisted Burrillville (R.I.) Police with the arrest of Michaelson at his residence in Guilford on Rhode Island state charges for child molestation, solicitation, and enticement. During the arrest, officers seized Michaelson’s cellphone. A court-authorized search of the seized phone revealed thousands of images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, primarily boys between the ages of five and 15, and communications between Michaelson and minor victims whom he coerced, and often verbally abused and threatened, to send sexually explicit images of themselves to him. Michaelson shared some of these images with others. Michaelson has been detained since his arrest. On March 16, 2023, he pleaded guilty to production of child pornography. The Rhode Island state charges against Michaelson are pending. This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office, the Guilford Police Department, and the Burrillville Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie T. Levick and Nancy V. Gifford. This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com .


title: Georgia state prison inmate indicted for making, mailing bombs to federal facilities

body_text: STATESBORO, GA: A man serving a life term in a Georgia state prison has been indicted on multiple federal charges for constructing and mailing bombs to federal facilities. David Cassady , 55, an inmate at Phillips State Prison in Buford, Ga., is charged with Making an Unregistered Destructive Device; two counts of Mailing a Destructive Device; and two counts of Attempted Malicious Use of an Explosive, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. There is no parole in the federal system. “Protecting our personnel and facilities is a fundamental role of our office and of our law enforcement partners,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “We also will take action against inmates who seek to commit crimes and harm the public from behind bars.” As described in the indictment returned by the April session of the Grand Jury in the Southern District of Georgia, Cassady was an inmate in the now-closed Georgia State Prison in Reidsville, Ga., in Tattnall County, when he constructed destructive devices and mailed two of them via U.S. Mail to the United States Courthouse and Federal Building in Anchorage, Alaska, and to a federal facility at 1400 New York Avenue NW in Washington, D.C. The indictment alleges the bombs were sent in an attempt “to maliciously damage or destroy, by means of fire or explosive, a building in whole or in part owned or possessed by, or leased to, the United States,” and “created substantial risk of injury to a person.” Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The case is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, the FBI Anchorage Office, Homeland Security Investigations Federal Protective Service, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and the Georgia Department of Corrections Office of Professional Standards, and Prosecuted for the United States of America by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorney L. Alexander Hamner.


title: Former Delaware County Teacher Indicted for Coercing, Transporting, and Sexually Abusing Students

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Paul Geer, 56, of Hancock, New York, was arraigned today on a federal indictment charging him with three counts of coercing and enticing three separate children to travel across state lines to engage in unlawful sexual activity, and three counts of transporting the children across state lines with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity with those children. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Craig Tremaroli made the announcement. The indictment filed against Geer alleges that, while Geer was a teacher at the Family Foundation School in Hancock, New York, Geer imposed various disciplinary sanctions on students which were tantamount to torture. The sanctions Geer imposed on students included depriving children of food or forcing children to eat food that had been regurgitated, binding children in rugs and leaving them in isolated rooms for extended periods of time and forcing children to perform forced physical labor. The indictment further alleges that, in 1994, 2000, and 2001, Geer used his position of authority and his ability to impose these brutal sanctions to coerce three students to travel with him, on separate occasions, to Maine, Pennsylvania, and Toronto, Canada. The indictment also charges that Geer transported the students across state lines with the intent to engage in sexual activity with them. While on those trips, Geer raped or otherwise sexually abused each of the three children. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The three counts of coercion and enticement each carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 5 years. The three counts of transporting children across state lines each carry a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 5 years. If convicted, Geer will also be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. The FBI is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica N. Carbone and Adrian S. LaRochelle are prosecuting the case as a part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . If you have any information about Paul Geer, the Family Foundation School, or other schools like it, which may have marketed themselves as part of the “Troubled Teen Industry,” please contact the FBI at FFStips@fbi.gov.


title: Convicted felon and sex offender sent to prison for possessing firearms, ammunition and meth

body_text: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 45-year-old Corpus Christi resident has been sentenced for being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition in addition to possessing meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. A federal jury convicted Roberto Moya Dec. 12, 2023, following a two-day trial. U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now ordered Moya to serve 75 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional testimony that described the extent of Moya’s involvement in drug dealing. Evidence was also presented that depicted Moya fighting with guards at the jail. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Moya’s gang affiliations and his associations with known drug dealers resulted in the position he is in today. On May 25, 2022, law enforcement conducted a search at Moya’s residence as part of a narcotics investigation. Although he was not the target, the investigation led them to that location. During the search, authorities discovered a Glock pistol and a fully loaded magazine along with five other bullets of various calibers. Law enforcement found them between the mattress and box spring of the bed inside Moya’s bedroom. Law enforcement also found three pistols throughout the house, a shotgun and five shotgun shells in the garage, to which only Moya had a key. The investigation further revealed Moya was a convicted felon for robbery and failure to register as a sex offender. As such, he is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. Moya will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations and the Corpus Christi Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda L. Gould prosecuted the case. This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project Safe Neighborhoods ( PSN ) Program. In May 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a new effort to reduce violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. Integral to that effort was the reinvigoration of PSN, a two-decade old, evidence-based and community-oriented program focused on reducing violent crime. The updated PSN approach, outlined in the department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime is guided by four key principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.


title: Philadelphia Man Indicted for May 2020 Arson of a SunRay Drugs Pharmacy Building in West Philadelphia

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Tyrone Wise, 34, of Philadelphia, PA, was charged today by indictment with one count of arson. The indictment alleges that on May 31, 2020 — while both lawful protests and unlawful civil disturbances were occurring throughout the region and the country — the defendant started a fire inside 25 South 60th Street (at the corner of Ludlow and 60th Streets) in Philadelphia. The fire severely damaged a SunRay Drugs Pharmacy and multiple apartments inside the building. If convicted, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment, a maximum possible sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, and other penalties. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Jayne. An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Former Weymouth Police Officer Charged with Assaulting a Man During an Arrest

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A former Weymouth Police officer has been charged with assaulting a man in custody by allegedly punching him multiple times without legal justification. Justin Chappell, 43, was charged with one count of deprivation of rights under color of law. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled a plea hearing for April 11, 2024. According to the charging document, on July 2, 2022, Chappell was a police officer for the Weymouth Police Department. While arresting an individual, Chappell allegedly punched the arrestee approximately 13 times with a closed fist without legal justification. “Members of law enforcement take an oath to serve and protect with professionalism and integrity. Today’s court filings allege that Officer Chappell violated this solemn obligation. Our office will continue to hold accountable officers who deprive people of rights under color of law,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “It is hard to comprehend why Justin Chappell allegedly felt entitled to repeatedly beat a man in his custody, punching him in his face approximately 13 times,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “In doing so, we believe Officer Chappell violated this man’s civil rights and betrayed his sworn oath, his community, and colleagues. We’d like to thank the Weymouth Police Department for its full cooperation with our investigation.” The charge of deprivation of rights under color of law resulting in bodily injury provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. 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 U.S. Attorney Levy and FBI SAC Cohen made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Weymouth Police Department and the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Torey B. Cummings and Neil J. Gallagher Jr. of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Oregon Man Sentenced for Assaulting Passenger and Flight Crew Member

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – An Oregon man pleaded guilty in federal court to assaulting a fellow passenger and flight crew member in 2021 on a Delta Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Nashville. Asiel Christian Norton , 46, of Salem, Oregon, pleaded guilty in federal court to two counts of simple assault and was sentenced to one year of probation. According to court documents, on June 4, 2021, Norton was a passenger on Delta Airlines Flight 386. During the flight, Norton rushed to the front of the plane and assaulted another passenger by crashing into and injuring him. When a flight crew member tried to get Norton to return to his seat, Norton shoved him. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, made the announcement today. The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Stanford is prosecuting the case. # # #


title: Five New Federal Agencies Join Justice Department in Pledge to Enforce Civil Rights Laws in Artificial Intelligence

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that five new cabinet-level federal agencies have joined a pledge to uphold America’s commitment to core principles of fairness, equality and justice as new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) become more common in daily life. “Federal agencies are sending a clear message: we will use our collective authority and power to protect individual rights in the wake of increased reliance on artificial intelligence in various aspects of American life,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “As social media platforms, banks, landlords, employers and other businesses choose to rely on artificial intelligence, algorithms and automated systems to conduct business, we stand ready to hold accountable those entities that fail to address the unfair and discriminatory outcomes that may result. We are mounting a whole-of-government approach to enforcing civil rights and related laws when it comes to automated systems, including AI.” The joint statement, first announced in April 2023, now includes the Department of Education, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Housing and Urban Development and Department of Labor. The Consumer Protection Branch of the Justice Department’s Civil Division also joined the pledge. Additionally, the updated statement highlights recent agency accomplishments, including policy guidance and enforcement actions involving automated systems. Assistant Attorney General Clarke also announced that the Civil Rights Division has launched a public-facing webpage to centralize content related to the Division’s work on AI and civil rights. This resource will help the public more easily access information about how advanced technologies can result in unlawful discrimination and what the division can do to assist victims of discrimination. These announcements follow the April 3 convening, which brought together directors of civil rights offices and senior officials across the federal government to foster AI and civil rights coordination. This was the second such convening hosted by the Civil Rights Division following President Biden’s Executive Order on the Safe, Secure and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence , which directs federal agencies to use their authorities to prevent and address unlawful discrimination and other harms that result from the use of AI in programs and benefits, while preserving the potential social, medical and other advances AI may spur. Meeting participants heard from the Justice Department’s Chief AI Officer, who discussed the department’s efforts under the Office of Management and Budget’s March 28 Memorandum , which includes the requirement that agencies assess and mitigate technology risks, including AI-enabled discrimination, in their operations. During the convening, agency representatives discussed strategies to enhance enforcement, coordination, external engagement and public awareness about AI's potential discriminatory uses and effects. Participants also gave updates on agency obligations under the Executive Order, including guidance, best practices and other resources, some of which may be released as early as the end of April. Officials from the following agencies participated in the April 3 Civil Rights Division convening: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce, Department of Education, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of the Interior, Department of Labor, Department of Transportation, Department of the Treasury, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Federal Trade Commission and Social Security Administration.


title: 12 Members of Smog Inspection Cheating Ring Indicted

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Twelve people have been charged by federal indictment for a conspiracy to cheat California smog inspections using a sophisticated device known as the “OBDNator,” in violation of the Clean Air Act. The indictment was unsealed today following the arrests of the defendants who are alleged to have manufactured, distributed, and used OBDNators to cheat smog checks across the state. U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert, Acting Special Agent in Charge Kimberly Bahney of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division, Region 9, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily of the FBI Sacramento Field Office made the announcement today. According to court documents, between October 2015 and March 2024, the defendants participated in a conspiracy to cause polluting vehicles to pass California’s smog checks. Smog checks are typically performed by plugging smog inspection equipment, known as a Data Acquisition Device (DAD), into a vehicle’s On-Board Diagnostics port (OBD). To cheat smog tests, the conspirators plugged the smog inspection equipment into the OBDNator device instead. The OBDNator would then make it look like a vehicle had passed the smog check regardless of the true condition of that vehicle’s emission control system. While the defendants’ roles in the conspiracy varied, all of them used the OBDNator devices. The following defendants are charged with conspiracy and making false statements pursuant to the Clean Air Act: Hossam “Sam” Hemdan, 54, of Hawthorne, owned and controlled several smog stations in Hawthorne and elsewhere. He designed, manufactured, and sold the OBDNator devices. Javier Salguero, 47, of Inglewood, owned and controlled several smog shops, including one in Bell and two in Maywood. Oscar Gomez, 36, of Rancho Cucamonga, ran a school for automotive technicians in Rancho Cucamonga. Guillermo Tovar, 35, of Fontana, worked at multiple smog stations. Arwa Harb, 53, of Redondo Beach, owned and controlled smog stations, including one in Wilmington and one in South Gate. Minh Truong, 45, of San Jose, operated out of smog stations owned by Thong Truong. Thong Truong, 40, of San Jose, owned and controlled smog stations, including two in Long Beach. Michael Nguyen, 38, of National City, operated out of a smog station in Spring Valley. The following defendants are charged with conspiracy: Yehia Harb, 36, of Hawthorne, owned and controlled a smog shop that was formerly in Venice and presently is in Hawthorne. Khaled Hamdan, 31, of Hawthorne, worked at businesses owned by Hemdan. Jeremy Earls, 37, of Lakewood, owned and controlled smog stations, including two in Long Beach. Nas Meshal, 30, of La Palma. “For many years, California’s Smog Check Program has successfully reduced the amount of pollution in the air we breathe by identifying polluting vehicles and requiring them to be repaired or retired,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “The developer and users of the OBDNator smog check cheating devices who are charged in the indictment unsealed today polluted the air we breathe for their own profit and harmed the health of Californians. Anyone who may be tempted to utilize a device to cheat on smog checks should consider that they too could face federal criminal charges and possible prison time. My office will continue to prioritize cases like this that protect our residents’ health and the environment.” “Vehicle emissions testing is fundamental to protect air quality,” said EPA Criminal Investigation Division Special Agent in Charge Bahney. “The individuals ran a scheme to undermine the Clean Air Act ultimately at the expense of public health and the environment.” “The FBI is deeply committed to investigating environmental crimes and the individuals and networks who seek to circumvent regulations for their own gain,” said FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge, Mark Remily. “This case is a perfect example of law enforcement coordination to ensure the interests and safety of the American people are protected.” According to court documents, Hemdan developed the OBDNator device and its accompanying software program. Hemdan sold and distributed OBDNator devices for as much as $18,000. After plugging the smog inspection equipment into the OBDNator, the conspirators would use the OBDNator to convey false smog check information to the California Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR). The OBDNator provided the Vehicle Identification Number and passing “answers” to the smog inspection equipment’s queries in the exact format that a passing vehicle of the same make, model, and year would provide. In order to provide those false answers, the defendants and others maintained collections of “clean” vehicle profiles that they would use to make it look like other, different vehicles had passed. The latest version of the OBDNator could pass a vehicle without the vehicle even being present at the smog station. During the conspiracy, some of the defendants organized classes to teach how to use the OBDNator and communicated through chat groups about how to avoid detection by authorities. The defendants’ fraud was widespread. OBDNators are believed to be the most common and successful type of simulator devices used to cheat smog test in California. The devices, when used skillfully with the latest software updates, have at times advanced beyond BAR’s ability to detect cheating with its current equipment. However, when a user of the OBDNator performs a fraudulent smog imperfectly, BAR can often detect “tells” in the data conveyed to BAR in the course of the smog inspection. In the approximately six-month period preceding this indictment, BAR detected the use of a smog cheating device in more than 0.5% of total smog inspections. This is likely an undercount because many successful attempts are not detected. The OBDNator devices have harmed California’s air quality and endangered the health of California residents. California’s Smog Check Program has made great progress at ensuring the vast majority of vehicles are compliant with emissions standards and improving California’s air quality. The defendants’ smog-cheating scheme undermines those efforts. A comparison between the failure rates of vehicles inspected in 2023 by BAR at random roadside checkpoints (13.5%) and by smog stations (7%) indicates how undetectable smog cheating leads to polluting vehicles being driven on California’s roads. The dirtiest vehicles – which could not pass smog inspections legitimately and which could not be registered without cheating – have an outsize impact on the air. For example, according to research presented by the California Air Resources Board (CARB), the highest 1% of emitting light duty vehicles are responsible for approximately 42% of the total hydrocarbon emissions from all light-duty vehicles. BAR and CARB estimate that if all smog check stations in California operated as effectively as high-performing stations, that would have the impact of reducing approximately 56 additional tons per day of exhaust emissions. This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division and the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, the California Bureau of Automotive Repairs, and Homeland Security Investigations San Diego. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine T. Lydon and Shea J. Kenny are prosecuting the case. If convicted of the conspiracy count, the defendants face a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. If convicted of the count of false statements in Clean Air Act documents, the defendants face a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for each count. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. hemdan_et_al_obdnator_indictment.pdf


title: Jefferson Parish Man Guilty of Possessing Unregistered Silencer

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

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JOSEPH METZLER , III , age 44, of Gretna, La., pleaded guilty on April 2, 2024 before U.S. District Judge Brandon S. Long, to possession of an unregistered silencer. According to court records, federal agents learned that METZLER received unlawfully imported firearm parts from China. Agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives agents, as well as Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Department officers, executed a search warrant at METZLER’s residence. As a result, they discovered that he possessed a silencer that was not registered to him, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 5861(d). METZLER faces up to ten (10) years imprisonment, followed by up to three (3) years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. Sentencing is scheduled for July 23, 2024. 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. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Maestri of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.