title: Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to More than Eleven Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material While on Probation

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Tyler Edward Davis, 35, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 140 months in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, after pleading guilty to possession of child sexual abuse material. According to court documents, in August 2022, Davis was convicted in Marion County of two counts of Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material. Just four weeks into his probation period, and a little over a week after he registered as a sex offender, probation officers conducted a field visit and discovered Davis in possession of an unapproved smartphone. A review of the search history revealed searches such as “8-year-old bikini models” and “underground content.” Davis removed his GPS ankle bracelet and fled shortly after probation officer discovered the phone and search history. A detailed forensic examination of Davis’s cell phone revealed additional graphic internet search history, including searches for sexually explicit content depicting incest and violence. Investigators also found over 2,000 images and videos containing sexually explicit conduct involving minors, including adult men raping toddlers. At least one file contained a visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving an infant; bestiality; and sadistic or masochistic conduct or other depictions of violence. “Not even one month after being sentenced to probation for possession of child sexual abuse material, the defendant began collecting more heinous material, including images depicting the graphic sexual abuse of toddlers,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “There is no higher law enforcement priority than protecting our children from those who would do them harm. We will continue to work closely with our partners at the FBI to hold child sex offenders accountable and removing them from our communities.” The FBI investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James P. Hanlon U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Wood, who prosecuted this case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood , a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. ###


title: Former Asset Manager Director of South Bend Housing Authority Sentenced to 135 Months in Prison

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: SOUTH BEND – Albert Smith, 47 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Senior Judge Jon E. DeGuilio after being found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud, six counts of bank fraud, two counts of wire fraud, and one count of federal program theft on November 1, 2023, following an eight-day jury trial, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. Smith was sentenced to 135 months in prison, 2 years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $3,030,940 in restitution to the victims of the offense. According to documents in the case, the Housing Authority of South Bend (HASB) provides housing opportunities and services to the South Bend community, managing more than 800 public housing residential units. From approximately 2015 through 2019, Smith served as the Asset Manager Director of the HASB and reported directly to the Executive Director. He was found guilty of conspiring with those at the HASB and with outside contractors to defraud the HASB. The fraud scheme involved the issuance of HASB payment checks to four outside contractors for contracting work that had not actually occurred. These contractors would then deposit the HASB payment checks, withdraw a portion of each check in cash, and hand-deliver the cash back to co-conspirators at the HASB’s main office. Smith was involved in creating hundreds of fraudulent documents to conceal the fraud. United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson said, “Mr. Smith’s sentencing concludes the sentencing of those who schemed with Tonya Robinson, the former Executive Director of the South Bend Housing Authority, to steal federal housing funds to enrich themselves. Illegal schemes that purloin public money, defrauding taxpayers and jeopardizing tenants’ health and safety, will not be tolerated. My Office has a robust partnership with federal, state and local law enforcement and we will continue to work together to hold all such federal fraudsters accountable.” “Federal funding for public housing should be used to help ensure all Americans have access to safe, affordable housing - not to enrich those who deprive these programs of their much-needed funding through fraud and theft,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “Today’s sentence shows that those who violate the public trust will be held accountable.” “Albert Smith and his previously sentenced co-conspirators abused their positions of trust overseeing HUD money that was intended to provide housing assistance to some of the most vulnerable people in their community. Smith engaged in an egregious false billing and kickback scheme, lining his own pockets with scarce taxpayer dollars,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Machelle Jindra with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General. “The sentence handed down today serves as a warning to those willing to commit fraud involving HUD-funded programs that HUD OIG remains steadfast in its commitment to working with our Department of Justice, prosecutorial, law enforcement and oversight partners to aggressively pursue those who engage in activities that threaten the integrity of HUD programs.” "Today's sentencing of Albert Smith underscores the grave consequences of public servants who abuse public office,” said Ramsey Covington, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “Public servants hold a sacred trust to serve the public with integrity. When they engage in criminal activities, they not only break the law but also erode public confidence in our institutions. This sentence reaffirms IRS CI and its fellow law enforcement partners’ commitment to holding such individuals accountable and restoring trust in our government.” Smith’s co-defendants who were previously convicted received the following sentences: Tonya Robinson was sentenced to a total term of 108 months in prison, 2 years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $3,236,949.97 in restitution to victims of the offense. Tyreisha Robinson was sentenced to time served, 2 years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $363,122.00 in restitution to victims of the offense. Douglas Donley was sentenced to a total term of 27 months in prison, 2 years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $303,920.00 in restitution to victims of the offense. Archie Robinson III was sentenced to a total term of 6 months of imprisonment, 2 years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $1,152,636.00 in restitution to victims of the offense. Ronald Taylor, Jr. was sentenced to a total term of 44 months in prison, 2 years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $1,714,956.87 in restitution to victims of the offense. This case was investigated by the Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Luke N. Reilander, Joel Gabrielse, and Jerome W. McKeever.


title: Florida Man Sentenced for Fraud Involving Small Business Administration Disaster Funds

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Florida man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with his role in conspiring to use stolen identities to fraudulently obtain disaster loans from the Small Business Administration (SBA) and to launder the funds. Hector Garcia, 52, of Ocala, Fla., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to time served and three years of supervised release. Garcia was also ordered to pay $25,104.33 in restitution to the Small Business Administration. In April 2024, Garcia pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and three counts of wire fraud. Garcia conspired with Ramon Cruz, Darwyn Joseph, Edwin Acevedo, and others, to use stolen identity information of United States citizens to apply for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans. Garcia used stolen identity information of a United States citizen to open a fraudulent bank account, which was then linked to other fraudulent bank accounts set up to receive the SBA funds. Garcia and his co-conspirators used debit cards associated with those accounts to launder the funds by purchasing iPhones for re-sale. Garcia and other co-conspirators wired a portion of the funds to the Dominican Republic. Over $452,000 in SBA funds were fraudulently obtained in connection with the scheme. Approximately $250,000 of this money was used to purchase iPhones in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Cruz and Joseph pleaded guilty and were each sentenced in August 2023 and October 2023 , respectively, to two years and one day in prison and three years of supervised release. Acevedo pleaded guilty and was sentenced in August 2023 to 33 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England, made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was also provided by Homeland Security Investigations in Orlando, Fla.; Small Business Administration, Office of the Inspector General; Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of the Inspector General; Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General; Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General; Department of State; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Massachusetts State Police; New Hampshire State Police; and the Acton, Nashua (N.H.), Manchester (N.H.) and Ocala (Fla.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elianna J. Nuzum and Adam W. Deitch of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: U.S. Attorneys Provide Virtual Training Program to Pennsylvania Prisons and Jails to Ensure Inmates Have Access to Medication to Treat Opioid Use Disorder

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PHILADELPHIA, SCRANTON – As part of the Department of Justice’s response to the opioid crisis, the United States Attorneys for the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of Pennsylvania hosted a virtual training this week to educate Pennsylvania’s state and local correctional facilities on their obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to provide inmates with access to medication to treat opioid use disorder (OUD). These medications include methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone. The July 23, 2024, training was open to all prison and jail staff, and over 100 participants, including wardens, security professionals, and medical staff from across the Commonwealth attended. The training follows recent federal enforcement actions involving the criminal justice system. In November 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania resolved an ADA matter with the Allegheny County Jail for failure to provide inmates medication to treat OUD. In December 2023, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania filed a Statement of Interest in a matter against a Delaware County correctional facility to clarify state and local jails’ obligations under the ADA to provide inmates with access to medication to treat OUD. In January 2024, the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern and Middle Districts of Pennsylvania, in partnership with the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, settled a matter with the Uniform Judicial System of Pennsylvania (UJS) to resolve allegations that UJS courts violated the ADA by preventing individuals under court supervision from taking lawfully prescribed medication to treat OUD. The Department of Justice has also issued public guidance on the ADA’s protections for those with OUD. Over the course of this enforcement work, the U.S. Attorney’s Offices discovered that correctional facilities across the Commonwealth have questions about their obligations under the ADA when it comes to medications for OUD. To answer these questions and think through solutions, the three offices partnered to host this educational program. During the webinar, United States Attorneys Jacqueline Romero, Gerard Karam, and Eric Olshan — the senior-most federal law enforcement officials in Pennsylvania — emphasized that individuals with OUD or being treated with medication for OUD are generally considered disabled and protected by the ADA. Under the ADA’s protections, correctional facilities that provide healthcare services must offer treatment with medication for OUD to all individuals in custody for whom such treatment is medically appropriate. Facilities also may not change or discontinue an individual’s medication used to treat OUD, except upon a licensed healthcare provider’s determination that the individual does not require that treatment based on the individual’s current condition. Most importantly, the ADA requires that correctional facilities provide individual assessments and not categorically deny access to OUD medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration that provide life-saving treatment for addiction. In addition to this legal guidance, the training also featured remarks by Dr. Paul Joudrey of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center on the science behind, and importance of, all three medications in the treatment of OUD. Heidi Carroll, Diversion Program Manager for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Philadelphia Division, and Dr. Patti Juliana, Director of the Division of Pharmacologic Therapies at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, addressed recent regulatory changes designed to improve access to methadone in correctional facilities. Dr. Bruce Herdman, Chief of Medical Operations of the Philadelphia Department of Prisons, and Anthony Cantillo, Deputy Commissioner of the Maine Department of Corrections, talked about their experiences implementing programs to treat OUD in correctional facilities and the practical lessons they have learned along the way. “Each of our districts has been hit hard by the opioid epidemic,” said U.S. Attorney Olshan of the Western District of Pennsylvania. “We rigorously enforce the ADA to ensure that effective OUD treatment will be available to those in correctional facilities across the Commonwealth. As a part of this work, we are happy to offer this training to help jails and prisons learn more about what they must do to address the needs of individuals with OUD and comply with the ADA.” “Our offices are dedicated to fighting the opioid epidemic with every tool that we have,” said U.S. Attorney Romero of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “That includes enforcing the ADA to remove discriminatory barriers to treatment for OUD. This training reminds jails and prisons about their obligations to address the needs of individuals with OUD and comply with the ADA, and provided them with additional tools to use to ensure their facilities comply with the law.” “As we continue to vigorously prosecute those who traffic in and profit from drugs like heroin and fentanyl, our mission in fighting this epidemic requires we ensure individuals with OUD have continued access to medically prescribed treatment,” said U.S. Attorney Karam of the Middle District of Pennsylvania. “This training presented an opportunity for experts in the field of addiction, representatives from federal agencies, our own civil rights attorneys, and leaders in correctional facilities across the Commonwealth to come together to have questions answered, think through solutions, and initiate a local, state, and federal partnership. Our partnership is forged in the notion that medical treatment for inmates can dramatically reduce opioid overdose deaths.” The training was coordinated by Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren DeBruicker, Michael Butler, and Adam Fischer, civil rights coordinators for the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of Pennsylvania, respectively. For more information about the Justice Department’s work to address discrimination against individuals with opioid use disorder, please visit www.ada.gov/topics/opioid-use-disorder . For more information on the ADA, please call the Department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 (TTY 1-833-610-1264) or visit www.ada.gov . Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at civilrights.justice.gov/report, or by contacting their local U.S. Attorney’s Office. In the Western District of Pennsylvania, call 412-894-7343 or email USAPAW.CivilRights@usdoj.gov. In the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, call 215-861-8555 or email USAPAE.civilrights@usdoj.gov. In the Middle District of Pennsylvania, call 717-614-4911 or email usapam.civil.rights@usdoj.gov.


title: Anchorage man indicted for trafficking drugs, possessing fully automatic “ghost gun”

component: USAO - Alaska

body_text: ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment last week charging an Anchorage man with possessing controlled substances with intent to distribute and possessing a “ghost gun” as a felon. According to court documents, on June 9, 2024, James McKinley, 37, was found passed out behind the wheel of a running vehicle in a handicapped parking space in Anchorage. Officers from the Anchorage Police Department contacted McKinley and he attempted to flee by ramming the police vehicle out of the way. When McKinley was unable to escape via his vehicle, he allegedly attempted to flee on foot but was taken into custody on scene. Court documents further allege that officers searched the defendant and his vehicle and found fentanyl powder and pills, methamphetamine, $35,000 in cash and a loaded pistol with no serial number that had been modified to be capable of fully automatic fire. These firearms, which contain no serial numbers or other means of tracing their origins, are referred to as “ghost guns.” At the time of the offense, McKinley had three prior convictions for misconduct involving a controlled substance in the third degree in violation of Alaska law. McKinley is charged with one count of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, one count of possession of a machinegun during a drug trafficking crime and one count of being an armed career criminal in possession of firearms and ammunition. The defendant will make his initial court appearance on July 30. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 45 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska and Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Anchorage Field Office is investigating this case as part of the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, with significant assistance from the Anchorage Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Klugman and Mac Caille Petursson are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: United States Attorney’s Office Releases 2024 Second Quarter Immigration Enforcement Statistics

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office announced its immigration enforcement statistics for April 1, 2024, to June 30, 2024. These cases are prosecuted in partnership with the Tucson and Yuma Sectors of the Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol, along with Homeland Security Investigations, and assistance from other federal, state, and county agencies. In the three-month period ending June 30, 2024, the United States brought criminal charges in Arizona against 2,641 individuals who illegally entered or re-entered the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States also filed 319 cases against individuals responsible for smuggling undocumented noncitizens to and within the District of Arizona. In this time period, the United States also prosecuted 53 reactive drug cases arising out of immigration ports of entry and checkpoints. Reducing migrant smuggling and mitigating the risk to communities impacted by these offenses continue to be priorities for the Office and its law enforcement partners. Some of these prosecutions are directed against leaders and coordinators of alien smuggling organizations. Other prosecutions are aimed at deterring young adult drivers, often recruited over social media platforms, from engaging in this dangerous activity. Prosecutions against young drivers include cases brought against four juvenile smugglers during this time period. Protecting law enforcement officers is a key part of border vigilance. During this time period, federal prosecutors brought charges against one defendant accused of assaulting federal officers. These statistics represent United States Attorney’s Office prosecutions only. The numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process. RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-101_2024 Second Quarter Immigration Enforcement Statistics # # # 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: Kanawha County Woman Sentenced to Prison for COVID-19 Relief Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Lydia Spencer, 33, of South Charleston, was sentenced today to four months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $36,814.13 in restitution for conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Spencer admitted to participating in a scheme to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) of $31,250 in COVID-19 relief loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). According to court documents and statements made in court, Spencer was the sole proprietor of Les Prints, a custom clothing business that had its principal office in Charleston. Spencer admitted to conspiring with at least three other individuals in April 2021 to obtain fraudulent PPP loans for her business. The PPP offered forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, as part of the emergency financial assistance provided by the CARES Act to Americans suffering from the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the co-conspirators recruited Spencer to participate in the scheme that spring, and Spencer provided her personal and bank account information to this individual. On April 8, 2021, another of the co-conspirators used Spencer’s information to submit fraudulent PPP loan applications on behalf of Les Prints to two different lenders. Each lender approved a PPP loan for Les Prints. Spencer received a $15,625 transfer disbursed by one of the lenders on April 30, 2021, and a $15,625 transfer disbursed by the other lender on June 17, 2021. Both transfers were deposited in Spencer’s personal bank account with an Oklahoma-based bank. Spencer admitted that the PPP loan applications contained materially false information. Businesses applying for PPP loans were required to provide documentation showing their prior gross income from either 2019 or 2020. Spencer admitted that the loan applications falsely stated that Les Prints had received $75,000 in gross income in 2020, and included a fraudulent Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 1040, Schedule C Profit or Loss from Business reporting that false gross income. Spencer further admitted that this false information qualified Les Prints for a loan amount it otherwise would have not been qualified to receive. Between May 3, 2021, and June 21, 2021, Spencer used a mobile payment service app to transfer a total of $4,000 from the fraudulent loan proceeds to one of the co-conspirators. Spencer admitted that she attempted to obscure the nature of these transfers by labeling them as marketing expenses for her business. Spencer further admitted that she spent the remainder of the fraudulent loan proceeds on personal expenses. Spencer also admitted that she was aware that her co-conspirators had obtained additional fraudulent PPP loans in the names of other individuals. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Holly Wilson and Gabriel Price prosecuted the case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-53. ###


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office, Law Enforcement, Community Partners to Host National Night Out Event in East St. Louis

component: USAO - Illinois, Southern

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – To strengthen relationships between residents and law enforcement, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Illinois, event organizers and police officials are inviting the East St. Louis community to a free event with activities for attendees of all ages to celebrate National Night Out. The event will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 6 at 8206 State St. in East St. Louis. Community partners will give out school supplies to students, provide food to families and offer an array of activities like competitive games, police demonstrations, and a live DJ. This National Night Out is a free event for East St. Louis residents. Ameren Illinois, ATF, the City of East St. Louis, Community Development Sustainable Solutions (CDSS), Community Life Line, the East St. Louis Police & Fire departments, Illinois State Police, Family & Community Engagement Center of East St. Louis School District #189, Indivisible Metro East, Kaskaskia Group of the Illinois Sierra Club, Lessie Bates Davis Neighborhood House, the Metro East Organizing Coalition, St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the U.S. Marshals Service are partnering to host the event. National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes community partnerships with police and neighborhood camaraderie.


title: Arlington, Vermont Woman Sentenced to Home Confinement in Gun Purchase Case

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on July 24, 2024, Candace Walsh, 38, of Arlington, Vermont was sentenced by United States District Judge Geoffrey Crawford to time served to be followed by three years of supervised release with a special condition requiring seven months of home confinement. Walsh previously pleaded guilty to lying about pending state charges when completing a form for the purchase of a firearm. According to court records, in May 2023, Walsh purchased a SCCY CPX-2 9 mm firearm from a federally licensed firearms dealer in Vermont. When completing required paperwork for the gun purchase, Walsh denied both being under indictment in a felony criminal case, and drug use, although in fact, Walsh was pending state felony charges and using drugs at the time of the purchase. The firearm Walsh purchased has not been recovered. United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives for their work in investigating Walsh. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia Cowles. Walsh was represented by Michael Shklar, Esq. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Philadelphia Airline Employee Pleads Guilty to Evading Airport Security

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Lester Santana III, 34, of Philadelphia, PA, pleaded guilty today before United States District Judge Juan R. Sánchez to one count of evading security requirements at Philadelphia International Airport. During the plea hearing, the defendant admitted that, while he was employed as an airline employee, he repeatedly used his employee credentials to enter the secure area of the airport with large amounts of U.S. currency to evade the required screening and inspection of his person and property by Transportation Security Administration personnel. The defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment. The case is being investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Air Marshal Service, the U.S. Postal Service’s Office of Inspector General, the New Jersey State Police’s Strategic Investigations Unit, and the Philadelphia Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vineet Gauri of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, with assistance from Assistant United States Attorney Patrick C. Askin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey.


title: U.S. Attorney Highlights Federal Prosecution Of Cases From Coleman Federal Correctional Complex

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the results of a multi-year cooperative effort by federal law enforcement to prosecute criminal offenses originating from the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex (FCC Coleman) in Sumter County, Florida. Since 2021, the Ocala Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office has prosecuted a wide range of criminal charges from the prison. These crimes include first/second degree murder; assault with the intent to commit murder; forcible assault on corrections staff; possession of controlled substances with the intent to distribute; sexual assault of an inmate by staff; possession of contraband; receipt of a bribe by a public official; and deprivation of civil rights under the color of law. The efforts by federal law enforcement recently culminated in a March 2024 operation at the prison that resulted in the recovery of contraband (cellphones, homemade weapons, and controlled substances). At least two inmates and a visitor to the facility have been charged as a result of that operation. Among the individuals prosecuted for offenses at the prison since 2021 are the following: David Lee Bishop , an inmate, was sentenced to life in prison on May 23, 2024, for second-degree murder. According to court documents, on February 3, 2019, Bishop strangled his cellmate to death using a torn bedsheet. When correctional officers discovered his cellmate’s body, Bishop immediately admitted to the murder. At the time of the offense, Bishop was serving another life sentence for murder. Fiona Eyana Palmer , a former correctional officer, was sentenced on July 24, 2023, to 15 months in federal prison for sexual abuse of an inmate. According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Palmer engaged in sexual acts with an inmate at the prison between January 2018 and March 2019. In recorded phone calls, Palmer discussed the sexual acts and offered to send money to one of the inmate’s relatives. She also directed the inmate to lie to federal investigators about their relationship. John Jones , an inmate, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison on January 11, 2023, for assaulting a federal correctional officer with a deadly weapon and possessing contraband in a federal penitentiary. According to court documents, Jones was serving a life sentence for two first-degree murder convictions when he stabbed his cellmate using a six-and-a-half-inch bladed weapon. When a correctional officer responded to the attack, Jones lunged at the officer multiple times while clutching the weapon. Jones later admitted that he intended to kill his cellmate. Wayne Grant, Jr. , a former correctional officer, was sentenced in December 2021 to one year and eight months in prison for receiving a bribe as a public official. According to court documents, Grant agreed to smuggle methamphetamine into the prison for an inmate in exchange for money. Grant unwittingly began communicating with an undercover agent to complete the transaction. After receiving approximately 70 grams of fake methamphetamine and $2,000 in money orders from investigators, Grant attempted to deposit the money into his bank account. Miguel Hidalgo , a correctional officer, was charged in April 2024 with deprivation of an inmate’s civil rights under the color of law. According to court records, on August 31, 2022, while acting under color of law, Hidalgo assaulted an inmate by repeatedly striking the inmate in the head and chest area, resulting in bodily injury. Hidalgo’s case in pending trial in September 2024. Jesse Wooden , an inmate, and Janai Chanal Stephens , a visitor to the prison, are charged in connection with the March 2024 operation. In an indictment returned in May 2024, Wooden is charged with possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of contraband (assorted controlled substances). Stephens is charged with making a false statement to a federal correctional officer and attempting to provide a prohibited object (tobacco) to an inmate (Wooden). The case is pending trial. 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. The federal agencies involved in the investigation of criminal cases at FCC Coleman include the Bureau of Prisons, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.


title: Foreign national charged with selling counterfeit cancer drugs

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging an Indian national with selling and shipping tens of thousands of dollars in counterfeit oncology pharmaceuticals into the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. According to court documents, Sanjay Kumar, 43, of Bihar, India, and his co-conspirators allegedly arranged for the sale and shipment of fake, counterfeit versions of oncology pharmaceuticals - including Keytruda - to individuals in the United States. Genuine Keytruda is a cancer immunotherapy that is approved in the United States for 19 different indications, including to treat certain types of melanoma, lung cancer, head and neck cancer, Hodgkin lymphoma, gastric cancer, cervical cancer and breast cancer. Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, formerly known as Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., has the exclusive right to authorize the manufacture of Keytruda for introduction into interstate commerce. Kumar was arrested June 26 in Houston after traveling to the United States to conduct further negotiations aimed at expanding his business selling fake Keytruda in the U.S. market. Kumar is charged with one count of conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit drugs and four counts of trafficking in counterfeit drugs. If convicted, he faces a up to 20 years in prison on each count as well as a possible $2 million fine. Homeland Security Investigations and Food and Drug Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Hileman is prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorneys Jeff Pearlman and Bryce Rosenbower of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: United States Sues National General Holdings Corp. and Subsidiaries for Falsely Placing Insurance on Hundreds of Thousands of Borrowers’ Vehicles

component: Civil Division

body_text: The United States has filed a civil complaint under the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act (FIRREA) against National General Holdings Corp. and its subsidiaries, National General Insurance Company, National General Lender Services Inc. and Newport Management Corporation (National General), alleging that, for over a decade, National General erroneously force-placed its Collateral Protection Insurance (CPI) product on vehicles financed through Wells Fargo, despite borrowers already having insurance through other carriers. “Companies must deal fairly and honestly with consumers,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s lawsuit demonstrates that the department will use all of the tools at its disposable to protect the American public against deceptive and fraudulent business practices.” “Today’s complaint alleges a long-running scheme to defraud hundreds of thousands of car buyers,” said U.S. Attorney Eric G. Olshan for the Western District of Pennsylvania. “For years, these defendants saddled ordinary Americans, including residents of this district, with allegedly unnecessary insurance, leading to dire real-world consequences like repossessed vehicles and other unwarranted collection activities. This enforcement action reinforces an important message: our office, together with our law enforcement partners, will take decisive action to combat fraud in the insurance industry, protect consumers and hold companies accountable for their wrongdoing under federal law.” The government’s complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, alleges that, from at least 2008 and through the latter part of 2016, National General systemically failed to accurately track whether cars financed by Wells Fargo had the requisite insurance coverage from an outside carrier, and thereby knowingly or recklessly force-placed its own, much costlier CPI on at least 655,000 vehicles that already had outside insurance. In particular, the United States alleges that National General’s tracking efforts were deficient for a variety of reasons, including that National General repeatedly mailed letters seeking insurance information to borrowers at addresses that had previously been returned as undeliverable; in many instances, National General made no phone calls to insurance carriers, agents or borrowers to obtain outside insurance information, despite internal requirements to make a certain number of phone calls; and National General often failed to match insurance information in its possession to financed vehicles. According to the complaint, National General knew for years that its so-called tracking system was wholly ineffective and that it was routinely imposing force-placed CPI on hundreds of thousands of borrowers in error. National General allegedly received thousands of complaints from borrowers and tracked and reported, both internally and to Wells Fargo, its high “false placements” rates throughout the relevant period. The complaint further alleges that, as a result of falsely placing CPI, borrowers were charged duplicative and unnecessary CPI premiums in connection with their loans, often without adequate notification to the borrowers. The United States also contends that National General’s conduct had a range of additional negative consequences for borrowers, including improper charges for late fees and interest, negative effects on credit scores and improper repossession of some financed vehicles. FIRREA authorizes the Attorney General to bring a civil action for penalties for violations of certain criminal predicate offenses — as established by a preponderance of the evidence — that involve financial institutions or particular government agencies. The United States’ complaint alleges that National General violated FIRREA by committing the predicate acts of mail fraud, wire fraud and bank fraud. The Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania handled the matter. The United States is represented in this matter by Trial Attorneys Lindsay DeFrancesco and Laura Hill of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Fischer for the Western District of Pennsylvania. The claims asserted against defendants are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability. Complaint


title: Jury Finds District Man Guilty of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon for Driving with Girlfriend on the Hood of His Car

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON –Paul Camby, 51, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury of assault with a dangerous weapon and other charges, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). The verdict was returned in the late afternoon on July 24, 2024, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Lynn Leibovitz scheduled sentencing for September 27, 2024. According to the government’s evidence, on June 3, 2024, at approximately 6:00 a.m., Camby, after getting high on cocaine and drinking whiskey, went to his apartment parking garage to drive his car. Camby’s girlfriend got in front of the car to prevent him from driving while intoxicated, because she was concerned for his safety and the safety of the public. Camby drove forward into his girlfriend, which caused her to end up on the hood of the car. Camby proceeded to drive out of the parking garage and continued driving with his girlfriend on the hood of the car for about two blocks on Third Street, Northeast. An eyewitness described Camby trying to swerve the car back and forth in an attempt to throw his girlfriend off the hood of the car, and in so doing, narrowly missed hitting other cars that were parked on both sides of the street. Camby eventually brought the car to a stop, and two eyewitnesses observed Camby striking his girlfriend and intervened until Metropolitan Police officers arrived and placed Camby under arrest. Surveillance video from the parking garage and a 911 call placed by the victim provided corroboration for the offense. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Covert and Monisha Rao from the Sex Offense and Domestic Violence Section.


title: Upstate Pharmacist Sentenced for Unlawfully Compounding Radioactive Drugs

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: GREENVILLE, S.C. —Richard A. Sheriff, 73, of Easley, has pleaded guilty to adulteration of a drug and been sentenced to two years of probation. Sheriff also forfeited $166,000 in revenues. Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Sheriff was the owner and pharmacist-in-charge of Shertech, a pharmacy providing nuclear and radiopharmaceutical drugs to medical facilities in the Greenville area. From January 2018-June 2019, Sheriff and pharmacists under his direction, would “fractionate” or “split” the active ingredient of Technescan MAG3, without ensuring the pieces were equal in size, purity or strength. This compounding was done without proper protective gear, testing, or quality assurance. The resulting diluted product was used in procedures such as renal scans to diagnose various illnesses, such as kidney disease. Sheriff did not notify his customers when he dispensed radioactive MAG3 that the amount of active ingredient was diluted. As such, Shertech created a risk of poor-quality patient scans and potential repeated scans that would expose patients to additional radiation. “Patients and healthcare facilities must be able to trust the quality of the pharmaceuticals they receive from providers like Shertech,” said Adair F. Boroughs, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina. “Adhering to sanitary standards when formulating these drugs is not only the lawful thing to do, but also the ethical thing to do.” “Adulterating a drug under insanitary conditions threatens the health and safety of U.S. consumers. In this case, the adulterated product potentially contained only a portion of the full dosage needed for renal imaging, causing a direct risk to adult and pediatric patients of poor-quality and potential repeat scans with additional radiation exposure,” said Special Agent in Charge Justin Fielder, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Miami Field Office. “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice those who threaten the health of consumers by evading FDA requirements.” United States District Judge Kevin McDonald accepted the guilty plea and sentenced Sheriff to two years of probation and imposed a fine of $2,000. Sheriff previously agreed to forfeit over $166,000 in revenues. This case was investigated by the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Winston Holliday and Amy F. Bower are prosecuting the case. ###


title: Foreign National Charged for Selling Counterfeit Cancer Drugs

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A federal grand jury in Houston returned an indictment today charging an Indian national with selling and shipping tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of counterfeit oncology pharmaceuticals into the United States. According to court documents, Sanjay Kumar, 43, of Bihar, India, and his co-conspirators allegedly arranged for the sale and shipment of fake, counterfeit versions of oncology pharmaceuticals—including Keytruda—to individuals in the United States. Genuine Keytruda is a cancer immunotherapy that is approved in the United States for 19 different indications, including to treat certain types of melanoma, lung cancer, head and neck cancer, Hodgkin lymphoma, gastric cancer, cervical cancer, and breast cancer. Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, formerly known as Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., has the exclusive right to authorize the manufacture of Keytruda for introduction into interstate commerce. Kumar was arrested on June 26 in Houston after traveling to the United States to conduct further negotiations aimed at expanding his business selling fake Keytruda in the U.S. market. Kumar is charged with one count of conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit drugs and four counts of trafficking in counterfeit drugs. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Alamdar Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas; Special Agent in Charge Mark Dawson of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Houston; and Special Agent in Charge Charles Grinstead of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Office of Criminal Investigations, Kansas City Field Office made the announcement. HSI and the FDA investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Jeff Pearlman and Bryce Rosenbower of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Hileman for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: United States Obtains $26M in False Claims Act Judgments Against Laboratory Companies and Their Owner

body_text: On July 18, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland entered default judgments for the United States totaling $26,341,951.38 against Patrick Britton-Harr and multiple laboratory companies owned by him for violations of the False Claims Act. The court entered these judgments after Britton-Harr and his companies failed to defend against the United States’ allegations. In its complaint, filed on July 18, 2023, the United States alleged that Patrick Britton-Harr owned and operated Provista Health, LLC as well as multiple other corporate entities that sought to profit from the unfolding COVID-19 pandemic by offering COVID-19 tests to nursing homes as a way to bill Medicare for a wide array of medically unnecessary respiratory pathogen panel (RPP) tests. The complaint alleged that these RPP tests were not medically necessary because the beneficiaries had no symptoms of a respiratory illness and because the tests were for uncommon respiratory pathogens. The complaint also alleged that Britton-Harr and Provista Health submitted claims for RPP tests that were never ordered by physicians and sometimes for RPP tests that were never performed, including over 300 claims that stated that the nasal swab test sample was supposedly collected from the beneficiary on a date after the beneficiary had died. Also on July 18, 2023, the United States filed an application for prejudgment remedies under the Federal Debt Collection Procedures Act seeking to attach and garnish certain financial assets of Britton-Harr and to obtain financial discovery from him to help ensure funds would be available to satisfy a judgment in favor of the United States. Despite a court order prohibiting Britton-Harr from selling his house in Annapolis without approval from the court, he sold the house on Sept. 23, 2023, for $575,000 and dissipated the financial proceeds from the sale. On March 4, the court granted the United States’ motion to hold Britton-Harr in civil contempt for violating this order and ordered him to deposit $575,000 with the court’s registry. “The Justice Department remains committed to holding accountable individuals and entities who took advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to defraud the American taxpayers,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to pursue those who attempt to thwart justice by ignoring lawsuits, dissipating assets and violating court orders.” “The exploitation of federal health care programs designed to help the elderly and disabled during a national crisis is absolutely inexcusable,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland. “Regardless of their methods, we will hold accountable those who defraud such programs for personal gain.” “It's clear that Patrick Britton-Harr thought he could defraud the government by taking advantage of a global pandemic and never face the consequences. The extent of his fraud and abuse is astounding. He took critical resources away from our healthcare system and cost taxpayers their hard-earned money,” said Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “This investigation proves the FBI and our federal partners will continue to investigate and bring fraudsters like Britton-Harr to justice no matter how long it takes.” “Taking advantage of Medicare beneficiaries and the COVID-19 pandemic to line companies’ pockets is unacceptable,” said Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG, the Justice Department and our other law enforcement partners work tirelessly to ensure that only legitimate products and services actually provided will be paid for by federal health insurance programs.” The United States’ pursuit of this lawsuit illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to HHS at 800‑HHS‑TIPS (800-447-8477). The Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland handled the matter. HHS-OIG and the FBI are providing investigative support. Trial Attorneys Jonathan Hoerner and Vincent Vaccarella of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney/Deputy Civil Chief Tarra DeShields for the District of Maryland are handling the case.


title: Worcester Man Indicted on Child Pornography Offenses

body_text: BOSTON – A Worcester man was indicted today by a federal grand jury in Worcester for possessing and receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Charlton Pasley, 48, was charged with receipt and possession of child pornography. Pasley was arrested and charged by complaint on July 1, 2024. Pasley will be arraigned in federal court in Worcester at a later date. According to the charging documents, a search was executed at Pasley’s home in June 2024. Pasley was in possession of numerous electronic devices that allegedly contained child sexual abuse material. Pasley allegedly admitted to law enforcement that he used numerous social medial platforms to view and download CSAM. The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. Both charges carry at least five years and up to a lifetime 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 United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England and Interim Worcester Police Chief Paul B. Saucier made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen M. Noto of the criminal division is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . 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: Tucson Man Sentenced to 42 Months in Prison for Child Pornography Offense

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Enrique Adrian Yanez, 36, of Tucson, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker to 42 months in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release. When Yanez is released from prison, he will be required to register as a sex offender. Yanez pleaded guilty on February 29, 2024, to one count of Knowing Access of Child Pornography. During the summer of 2022, special agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) learned that Yanez was distributing child pornography files through a peer-to-peer file-sharing network. After HSI executed a search warrant on Yanez’s residence, agents located additional child pornography files on a computer belonging to Yanez. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . Homeland Security Investigations, Nogales, conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Nathaniel J. Walters, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-23-00247-TUC-JCH RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-102_Yanez # # # 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: United States Obtains $26 Million In False Claims Act Judgments Against Laboratory Companies And Their Owner

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – On July 18th, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland entered default judgments for the United States totaling $26,341,951.38 against Patrick Britton-Harr and multiple laboratory companies owned by him for violations of the False Claims Act. The court entered these judgments after Britton-Harr and his companies failed to defend against the United States’ allegations. In its complaint, filed on July 18, 2023, the United States alleged that Patrick Britton-Harr owned and operated Provista Health, LLC as well as multiple other corporate entities that sought to profit from the unfolding COVID-19 pandemic by offering COVID-19 tests to nursing homes as a way to bill Medicare for a wide array of medically unnecessary respiratory pathogen panel (RPP) tests. The complaint alleged that these RPP tests were not medically necessary because the beneficiaries had no symptoms of a respiratory illness and because the tests were for uncommon respiratory pathogens. The complaint also alleged that Britton-Harr and Provista Health submitted claims for RPP tests that were never ordered by physicians and sometimes for RPP tests that were never performed, including over 300 claims that stated that the nasal swab test sample was supposedly collected from the beneficiary on a date after the beneficiary had died. Also on July 18, 2023, the United States filed an application for prejudgment remedies under the Federal Debt Collection Procedures Act seeking to attach and garnish certain financial assets of Britton-Harr and to obtain financial discovery from him to help ensure funds would be available to satisfy a judgment in favor of the United States. Despite a court order prohibiting Britton-Harr from selling his house in Annapolis without approval from the court, he sold the house on September 23, 2023, for $575,000 and dissipated the financial proceeds from the sale. On March 4, 2024, the court granted the United States’ motion to hold Britton-Harr in civil contempt for violating this order and ordered him to deposit $575,000 with the court’s registry. “The exploitation of federal health care programs designed to help the elderly and disabled during a national crisis is absolutely inexcusable. Regardless of their methods, we will hold accountable those who defraud such programs for personal gain,” said Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland. “The Department of Justice remains committed to holding accountable individuals and entities who took advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to defraud the American taxpayers,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to pursue those who attempt to thwart justice by ignoring lawsuits, dissipating assets, and violating court orders.” “Taking advantage of Medicare beneficiaries and the COVID-19 pandemic to line companies’ pockets is unacceptable,” said Maureen Dixon, Special Agent in Charge for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG, the Department of Justice, and our other law enforcement partners work tirelessly to ensure that only legitimate products and services actually provided will be paid for by federal health insurance programs.” “It's clear that Patrick Britton-Harr thought he could defraud the government by taking advantage of a global pandemic and never face the consequences. The extent of his fraud and abuse is astounding. He took critical resources away from our healthcare system and cost taxpayers their hard-earned money," said Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the FBI's Baltimore Field Office. "This investigation proves the FBI and our federal partners will continue to investigate and bring fraudsters like Britton-Harr to justice no matter how long it takes.” The United States’ pursuit of this lawsuit illustrates the government’s emphasis on combatting healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, at 800‑HHS‑TIPS (800-447-8477). United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DHHS-OIG and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their work in this investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Tarra DeShields and Trial Attorneys Jonathan Hoerner and Vincent Vaccarella of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, who are handling this case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud . ####


title: Store Gift Card Fraud Leads to 3 Years in Prison

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man who victimized a nationwide retailer by stealing tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of gift cards was sentenced Thursday to three years in prison. U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp also ordered Rashad Niles Shahid, 27, to repay $88,269 to the store. Shahid pleaded guilty in April to one count of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. He admitted using the employee identification number of various store employees in a scheme to add value to store gift cards. He traveled to the area with others from his home in Michigan to execute the scheme. He targeted stores in Maplewood, Manchester, Florissant, and Shrewsbury, Missouri before he was arrested by the Manchester Police Department. The U.S. Secret Service, the Manchester Police Department, the Maplewood Police Department, the Shrewsbury Police Department and the Florissant Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Roy prosecuted the case.


title: Mankato Felon Pleaded Guilty to Illegal Firearm Possession After Shooting at Police Officers During a Home Invasion

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A Mankato man has pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm as a felon after firing at police officers during a violent home invasion, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, on January 14, 2024, a woman called 911 to report that a man had broken into her apartment in south Minneapolis. The woman and her two children fled the apartment after the man, identified as Kamau Evans, 32, shattered a window and entered the woman’s bedroom. Evans then went to a second residence in north Minneapolis and broke into the home by shattering a sliding glass door. Once inside, Evans assaulted several of the residents. According to court documents, officers of the Minneapolis Police Department arrived at the residence and were able to pull one of the victims out of the house to safety. Officers entered the home behind a ballistic shield and as they were walking upstairs, Evans appeared in the stairwell and fired a shot down the stairs in direction of the officers. Evans then leaped out of a bathroom window and tried to escape through the backyard but was apprehended and arrested. Officers recovered an SCCY model CPX-1 9mm semiautomatic pistol on the side of the garage where Evans was apprehended. Because Evans has prior felony convictions, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time. Evans pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court before Chief Judge Patrick J. Schiltz to one count of possession of a firearm as an armed career criminal. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Minneapolis Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristian Weir and Thomas Calhoun-Lopez and are prosecuting the case.


title: Carlton Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Producing Child Pornography

body_text: DULUTH, Minn. – A Carlton man has been sentenced to 300 months in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release for the production and attempted production of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, between 2015 and 2022, Stephen Jeremiah Hansen, 30, engaged in a pattern of sexually abusing children, including at least six children between the ages of two and 12 years old. The abuse included removing the children’s clothing, touching their genitals, and capturing videos and photos of it on his cell phone. In total, at least 250 images of child pornography were discovered in Hansen’s possession, some of which he created and some of which were downloaded from the internet. On September 26, 2023, Hansen pleaded guilty to one count of production and attempted production of child pornography. He was sentenced in U.S. District Court by Judge Jerry W. Blackwell on July 23, 2024. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children in crimes involving child pornography, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . This case is the result of an investigation led by the FBI, the Carlton County Sheriff’s Office, and the St. Paul Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ruth S. Shnider prosecuted the case.


title: North Korean Government Hacker Charged for Involvement in Ransomware Attacks Targeting U.S. Hospitals and Health Care Providers

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Note : View the indictment here and v iew cryptocurrency seizure affidavit here . A grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas, returned an indictment on Wednesday charging North Korean national Rim Jong Hyok for his involvement in a conspiracy to hack and extort U.S. hospitals and other health care providers, launder the ransom proceeds, and then use these proceeds to fund additional computer intrusions into defense, technology, and government entities worldwide. Their ransomware attacks prevented victim health care providers from providing full and timely care to patients. “Two years ago, the Justice Department disrupted the North Korean group using Maui ransomware to hold hostage U.S. hospitals and health care providers,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “Today’s criminal charges against one of those alleged North Korean operatives demonstrates that we will be relentless against malicious cyber actors targeting our critical infrastructure. This latest action, in collaboration with our partners in the U.S. and overseas, makes clear that we will continue to deploy all the tools at our disposal to disrupt ransomware attacks, hold those responsible to account, and place victims first.” “Rim Jong Hyok and his co-conspirators deployed ransomware to extort U.S. hospitals and health care companies, then laundered the proceeds to help fund North Korea’s illicit activities,” said Deputy Director Paul Abbate of the FBI. “These unacceptable and unlawful actions placed innocent lives at risk. The FBI and our partners will leverage every tool available to neutralize criminal actors and protect American citizens.” “North Korean hackers developed custom tools to target and extort U.S. health care providers and used their ill-gotten gains to fund a spree of hacks into government, technology, and defense entities worldwide, all while laundering money through China,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The indictment, seizures, and other actions announced today demonstrate the Department’s resolve to hold these malicious actors accountable, impose costs on the North Korean cyber program, and help innocent network owners recover their losses and defend themselves.” “Today’s indictment underscores our commitment to protecting critical infrastructure from malicious actors and the countries that sponsor them,” said U.S. Attorney Kate E. Brubacher for the District of Kansas. “Rim Jong Hyok and those in his trade put people’s lives in jeopardy. They imperil timely, effective treatment for patients and cost hospitals billions of dollars a year. The Justice Department will continue to disrupt nation-state actors and ensure that American systems are protected in the District of Kansas and across our nation.” “The Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI) will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to root out malicious actors who seek to degrade the Department of the Air Force’s ability to protect the nation,” said Brigadier General Amy S. Bumgarner, OSI Commander. “Multiple OSI units, including one of our newly established National Security Detachments, which were established to provide counterintelligence, law enforcement and analytical support to protect technology at the earliest stages of advanced research and development, provided support to this investigation.” “While North Korea uses these types of cybercrimes to circumvent international sanctions and fund its political and military ambitions, the impact of these wanton acts have a direct impact on the citizens of Kansas,” said Special Agent in Charge Stephen A. Cyrus of the FBI Kansas City Field Office. “These actions keep our families from getting the health care they need, slowing the response of our first responders, endangering our critical infrastructure and, ultimately, costing Kansans through ransoms paid, lost productivity, and money spent to rebuild our networks following cyber attacks. Today’s charges prove these cyber actors cannot act with impunity and that malicious actions against the citizens of Kansas and the rest of the United States have severe consequences.” “The indictment of individuals responsible for breaching U.S. government systems, regardless of their location, demonstrates the dedication of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of Inspector General (NASA-OIG), the Justice Department, and our law enforcement partners to relentlessly investigate, prosecute, and hold accountable those who believe they can operate in the shadows,” said Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Robert Steinau of NASA-OIG. According to court documents, Rim and his co-conspirators worked for North Korea’s Reconnaissance General Bureau, a military intelligence agency, and are known to the private sector as “Andariel,” “Onyx Sleet,” and “APT45.” Rim and his co-conspirators laundered ransom payments through China-based facilitators and used these proceeds to purchase internet infrastructure, which the co-conspirators then used to hack and exfiltrate sensitive defense and technology information from entities across the globe. Victims of this further hacking include two U.S. Air Force bases, NASA-OIG, and entities located in Taiwan, South Korea, and China. Related Andariel activity has been the subject of private sector reporting, and a cybersecurity advisory with updated technical indicators of compromise was published by the FBI, the National Security Agency, U.S. Cyber Command’s Cyber National Mission Force, the Department of the Treasury, the Department of Defense’s Cyber Crime Center, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Administration, and South Korean and United Kingdom partners today. The Justice Department and the FBI are also announcing the interdiction of approximately $114,000 in virtual currency proceeds of ransomware attacks and related money laundering transactions, as well as the seizure of online accounts used by co-conspirators to carry out their malicious cyber activity. The FBI previously seized approximately $500,000 in virtual currency proceeds of ransomware attacks and related money laundering transactions. In addition to these actions, the Department of State announced today a reward offer of up to $10 million for information leading to the location or identification of Rim. The State Department’s Rewards for Justice program has a standing reward offer for information leading to the identification or location of any person who, while acting at the direction or under the control of a foreign government, engages in certain malicious cyber activities against U.S. critical infrastructure in violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. Private sector partners are also taking other voluntary actions to limit the spread of Andariel-created malware. In partnership with the Department, Microsoft developed and implemented technical measures to block Andariel actors from accessing victims’ computer networks. Additionally, Mandiant is publishing research today that highlights its unique insights into Andariel’s tactics, techniques, and procedures . These actions by Microsoft and Mandiant were a significant part of the overall effort to secure networks, and they will help cybersecurity practitioners prevent, identify, and mitigate attacks from Andariel actors. Maui Ransomware and Money Laundering As alleged in the indictment, Rim worked for North Korea’s Reconnaissance General Bureau (RGB), a military intelligence agency, and participated in the conspiracy to target and hack computer networks of U.S. hospitals and other health care providers, encrypt their electronic files, extort a ransom payment from them, launder those payments, and use the laundered proceeds to hack targets of interest to the North Korean regime. The Andariel actors used custom malware, developed by the RGB, known as “Maui.” After running the maui.exe program to encrypt a ransomware victim’s computer network, the North Korean co-conspirators would extort the organization by leaving a note with a cryptocurrency address for a ransom payment. The Andariel actors received ransom payments in a virtual currency and then laundered the payments with the assistance of Hong Kong-based facilitators. In at least one case, these Hong Kong facilitators converted ransom funds from cryptocurrency to Chinese yuan. The yuan was then accessed from an ATM in China in the immediate vicinity of the Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge, which connects Dandong, China, and Sinuiju, North Korea. Exfiltration of Sensitive Data from Companies and Government Agencies Rim and his co-conspirators used ransom proceeds to lease virtual private servers that were used to launch attacks against defense, technology, and other organizations, and to steal information from them. Victims of this further hacking included U.S. defense contractors, two U.S. Air Force bases, NASA-OIG, South Korean and Taiwanese defense contractors, and a Chinese energy company. The Andariel actors obtained initial access to victims’ networks by exploiting known vulnerabilities that had not been patched by the victims, including the widespread Log4Shell vulnerability. (Additional tactics, techniques, and procedures are available in the joint cybersecurity advisory released today.) The Andariel actors stole terabytes of information, including unclassified U.S. government employee information, old technical information related to military aircraft, intellectual property, and limited technical information pertaining to maritime and uranium processing projects. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Huschka and Chris Oakley for the District of Kansas and Trial Attorneys Neeraj Gupta and George Brown of the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section are prosecuting the case. The FBI continues to investigate Andariel’s hacking and money laundering activities. The Air Force Office of Special Investigations, the Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center, and NASA-OIG provided valuable assistance. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. View previous joint cybersecurity advisories from CISA here. View previous joint cybersecurity advisories from Department of Defense here. View previous cryptocurrency seizure announcement here.


title: Man Sentenced for Forcing Three Women to Travel to San Diego for Prostitution; Lifeguard Makes Different Kind of Rescue

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – July 25, 2024 SAN DIEGO – David Warren of Las Vegas was sentenced in federal court today to 10 years in prison for coercing three women to engage in prostitution and transporting them from Las Vegas to San Diego for that purpose. Authorities found the women after one victim approached a San Diego lifeguard to ask for help on September 12, 2023, at Mission Beach. The victim said she was trafficked from Las Vegas and wanted help. The lifeguard immediately notified San Diego Police. The San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force quickly located and recovered the other two victims at a local hotel and arrested Warren. According to his plea agreement, Warren preyed on and trafficked the victims—one of whom was homeless and vulnerable to substance abuse--through violence, threats of violence, and emotional abuse. Once Warren and the women were in San Diego, he took the victims to various beaches to solicit customers. “Profiteers exploit victims of human trafficking anywhere they think they can take advantage, even on the beach in daylight,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “This brave woman saved herself and others by trusting a San Diego lifeguard who immediately jumped into action.” “The DOJ-led San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force is laser-focused on holding human traffickers accountable in San Diego County,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. “We must work together across every level of government and society to help bring human trafficking to an end. No one agency can do it all alone. I am grateful to our local, state and federal partners for holding traffickers accountable and creating a real, lasting impact on survivors.” “This circumstance was not the typical rescue our lifeguards perform,” said Marine Safety Captain Maureen Hodges. “However, we were glad to be of service and keep this victim safe while notifying San Diego Police that she needed assistance.” “The San Diego Police Department is a proud member of the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force (SDHTTF),” said Chief Scott Wahl. “The suspect in this case used violence and manipulation to control his victims. Thankfully, due to the quick action of the SDPD and SDHTTF, Warren was arrested and all three victims in the case were rescued. SDPD remains committed to utilizing every resource to rescue victims of human trafficking, while holding their traffickers accountable.” If you are living or working under threat of violence or extortion, or you suspect someone else may be, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center toll free, 24/7 Hotline: CALL: (888) 373-7888 or TEXT BeFree or 233733. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Derek Ko and Lyndzie M. Carter. DEFENDANT Case Number 23-cr-2102-JLS David Warren Age: 37 Las Vegas, NV SUMMARY OF CHARGES Transportation for Purpose of Prostitution – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 2421(a) Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison and $250,000 fine Coercion and Enticement – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 2422(a) Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine INVESTIGATING AGENCIES Homeland Security Investigations San Diego Police Department San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force City of San Diego, Fire-Rescue Department, Lifeguard Services Division


title: Fayetteville Felon with Rifles, Drugs, and Cash Sentenced to Six Years

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

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – A Fayetteville man was sentenced to 80 months in prison for possessing multiple firearms, as well as several high-capacity rifle magazines. On December 13, 2023, Jon Alan Davis, age 40, pled guilty to the charges. According to court documents and other information presented in court, on June 5, 2022, officers from the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) responded to call at a Fayetteville residence. When they arrived, they found Davis in the residence and a subsequent search of the property resulted in the seizure of a 12-gauge caliber shotgun, two 7.62 caliber rifles, 10 large capacity rifle magazines, two ballistic vests, more than $30,000 in cash, more than 50 pounds of marijuana, 551 grams of hashish, 92 THC vape pens, and 516 THC edibles. On July 19, 2023, members of the CCSO Special Response Team (SRT) attempted to serve a federal warrant for Davis’ arrest at his residence. During the operation, various drug paraphernalia items were found in plain sight, including another pound of marijuana and more than $16,000 in cash. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The CCSO and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Childress prosecuted the case. The conviction is a result of the ongoing Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP) initiative which is collaborative effort with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, working with the community, to identify and address the most significant drivers of violent crime. VCAP involves focused and strategic enforcement and interagency coordination and intelligence-led policing. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-CR-0028-M.


title: New Haven Gang Member Involved in Several Shootings Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison

body_text: DEVIN SUGGS, also known as “JB,” 20, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 168 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his involvement in a violent New Haven street gang and several gang-related shootings. Today’s announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; John P. Doyle, Jr., State’s Attorney for the New Haven Judicial District; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England; and New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson. According to court documents and statements made in court, in an effort to address violence in New Haven, the ATF, FBI, DEA and New Haven Police Department, working closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office, have been investigating an ongoing gang war between members and associates of the Exit 8 street gang and rival gangs in the Hill section and other areas of the city. The Exit 8 gang is named after the geographic area accessed by exiting Interstate 91 at Exit 8 in New Haven. Recently, younger members of Exit 8 are identifying themselves with the word “Honcho,” which is derived from the street name of an Exit 8 member who was murdered on Quinnipiac Avenue in February 2020. The investigation revealed that Suggs and other members of the Exit 8 gang engaged in drug trafficking, used and shared firearms, and, since June 2018, have committed at least three murders and 16 attempted murders. Exit 8 members and associates also stole vehicles, at times from outside of the state, and used those stolen vehicles when committing acts of violence. Gang members also promoted, coordinated, facilitated, and celebrated their narcotics distribution and acts of violence through text messaging and the use of social media applications and websites including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube. On February 20, 2024, Suggs pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity, and specifically admitted that he took part in five shootings between April 2021 and January 2023. As a result of these shootings, on April 27, 2021, a rival gang member was shot in the leg; on May 14, 2021, a rival gang member was shot in the leg and torso; and on May 20, 2021, one victim was shot in the back and another victim was shot in the leg. On January 20, 2023, Suggs and other Exit 8 members stole an SUV in Scarsdale, New York, and, later that day, he and Exit 8 member Nyzaire Barnes committed a drive-by shooting of a rival gang member in New Haven. The victim was shot in the head, but survived the attack. Suggs has been detained since August 3, 2023. Barnes, also known as “Melo,” pleaded guilty and, on June 20, 2024, was sentenced to 125 months of imprisonment. This investigation is being conducted by ATF, the FBI, the DEA, the New Haven Police Department, the Hamden Police Department, and the New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police and the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tara E. Levens, Rahul Kale and Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis. This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs. PSN is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Rutland, Vermont Sex Offender Sentenced to Time Served in Drug Distribution Case

body_text: Rutland, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on July 24, 2024, Roosevelt Norris, 55, most recently of Rutland, Vermont was sentenced by United States District Judge Geoffrey Crawford to time served to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release. Norris previously pleaded guilty to one count of distributing cocaine base, also known as crack cocaine, in Rutland during the summer of 2023. According to court records, during the summer of 2023, while he was dealing drugs from a hotel in Rutland, Norris was out of compliance with requirements that he register as a state sex offender. Norris’s prior sex offense involved the provision of cocaine to minor girls in exchange for sex. The United States advocated for a 21-month sentence consistent with the adjusted advisory sentencing range of 15 to 21 months of imprisonment provided by the United States sentencing guidelines. The Court imposed time served, or approximately 10 months of incarceration, and ordered Norris to be released to drug treatment. United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest thanked the Vermont State Police’s Vermont Drug Task Force for their work in investigating Norris’s criminal conduct. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corrine M. Smith. Norris was represented by Michael J. Straub, Esq.


title: Former Bank Employee Pleads Guilty to $2.4 Million Embezzlement Scheme

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Higbee, Mo., woman pleaded guilty in federal court today to stealing nearly $2.4 million from customers’ accounts at Exchange Bank of Missouri in Fayette, Mo., during a 15-year-long fraud scheme. Megan Lea Dougherty, 36, waived her right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr., to a federal information that charges her with one count of bank fraud. Dougherty was employed at the Fayette branch of Exchange Bank of Missouri. By pleading guilty today, she admitted that she engaged in a scheme to embezzle money from Exchange Bank of Missouri from Jan. 1, 2009, to Oct. 17, 2023. According to today’s plea agreement, Dougherty began working in the bank’s IT and customer service department in 2008. She detected a lack of internal controls and began removing small amounts of money from customer accounts into her own savings account and then to her checking account. Eventually, she also transferred stolen funds into the checking accounts of family members. Dougherty then switched to taking from customer certificate of deposit accounts. Dougherty falsified the description of these transfers in the bank’s computer systems to conceal her theft. She also rotated which accounts she took funds from so as to avoid detection, and would steal from one account to reimburse another, again to avoid detection. At the time that Exchange Bank of Missouri discovered the theft, Dougherty was actively stealing from seven different bank customers, some of whom had multiple accounts affected. Records reveal that over a dozen other customers were also victims of Dougherty’s theft, but those accounts were reimbursed when she moved onto victimizing new accounts. Dougherty told investigators she targeted customers who knew and trusted her. The records show that Dougherty stole a total of $2,393,288 from customers’ accounts. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Dougherty must forfeit to the government her interest nine parcels of real estate in Howard County, Mo., and a money judgment of $2,393,288. Under federal statutes, Dougherty is subject to a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa A. Pierce. It was investigated by the FBI.


title: Federal Jury Convicts Kanawha County Man of Federal Robbery and Firearms Crimes

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – After three days of trial, a federal jury convicted Camri Calrissian White, 25, of Cross Lanes, today of robbery, discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Evidence at trial proved that White robbed a Cross Lanes convenience store shortly before 5:15 a.m. on July 11, 2023, while armed with a Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm pistol with an extended magazine. White entered the business while wearing a mask and fired one round from the pistol into the ceiling. White held two store employees at gunpoint while ordering them to retrieve money from both registers and a locked safe under the front counter. Before fleeing the store, White told the employees that he would return and kill them if they called the police within the next 10 minutes. Surveillance video from the store and other nearby locations helped law enforcement officers identify White as the culprit of the robbery. On July 17, 2023, officers arrived at the Cross Lanes apartment where White was staying. Officers recovered the pistol with the extended magazine after White tossed it from a rear window of the apartment after they arrived. Officers searched the apartment and found clothing worn by White during the robbery. During the search, officers learned that White had access to a vacant and unlocked apartment nearby. Officers searched that apartment and found more clothing worn by White during the convenience store robbery. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. White was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for first-degree robbery with a firearm in Kanawha County Circuit Court on December 11, 2017. In that case, White pleaded guilty to his role in a January 31, 2017, home invasion robbery, during which he pressed a sawed-off shotgun to the chest of the 84-year-old victim while threatening to kill her. White is scheduled to be sentenced on November 21, 2024, and faces up to 20 years in prison for robbery, a consecutive term of 10 years and up to life in prison for discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, and up to 15 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. “At the point of a gun, Camri Calrissian White committed this violent act while threatening to kill his victims. Today’s verdicts will keep a dangerous criminal off our streets for a long time,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I commend the South Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) for their investigative work in this case. I also commend Assistant United States Attorneys JC MacCallum and Jennifer Rada Herrald and our trial team for securing the guilty verdicts in this case.” United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the jury 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. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-168. ###