title: Founder Of Artificial Intelligence Start-Up Charged With Fraud

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging MICHAEL BRACKETT with lying to investors about the financial condition of Centricity Inc., a technology company that BRACKETT founded in 2019. As alleged in the Indictment, BRACKETT — who also served as Centricity’s CEO — persuaded a victim to invest $500,000 in the company by sending a falsified customer list that included grossly inflated revenue numbers. Days later, BRACKETT resigned from Centricity, which ceased operations soon afterward. BRACKETT was arrested earlier today in the District of Maine, where he will be presented before making an initial appearance in the Southern District of New York. The case is assigned to United States District Judge John G. Koeltl in the Southern District of New York. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Although the industry is cutting edge, the crime was strictly analog: as alleged, Brackett fabricated documents and revenue numbers to persuade victims to invest in his start-up company. As in any other industry, investors in AI deserve transparency and fair dealing when considering if and where to invest in new technologies.” According to the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court: [1] Centricity was a New York City-based technology company that sought to give retailers, especially grocery stores, better insight into consumers’ preferences. According to public statements, Centricity used artificial intelligence algorithms that could analyze some 2.5 billion data points’ worth of internet traffic a day to predict demand for products, so that retailers could stock their shelves accordingly. While serving as CEO of Centricity, BRACKETT repeatedly misrepresented the company’s financial condition. In spring 2021, BRACKETT sent prospective short-term lenders a bank statement that BRACKETT had manipulated to reflect that Centricity had more funds in its account than it actually did. In June 2021, BRACKETT sent a potential investor (“Victim‑1”) a spreadsheet that purportedly reflected Centricity’s current customers and monthly revenue. In fact, the majority of the 13 companies listed on the spreadsheet were not Centricity’s customers, and Centricity’s revenue was only a fraction of the amount listed on the spreadsheet. Relying on BRACKETT’s misrepresentations, Victim-1 signed a convertible promissory note and directed an associate to wire $500,000 to Centricity. Within days, however, Victim-1 learned the truth about Centricity’s financial condition and attempted, unsuccessfully, to reverse the wire. Days later, BRACKETT resigned from Centricity, and, soon afterward, Centricity ceased operations. Victim-1 ultimately was unable to recover any of the $500,000 investment. * * * BRACKETT, 36, a U.S. citizen residing in Switzerland, is charged with one count of securities fraud and one count of wire fraud, each of which carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Special Agents from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick R. Moroney is in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. U.S. v. Brackett Indictment [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Mexican National Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for East Texas Drug Trafficking

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: SHERMAN, Texas - A Mexican national has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for trafficking drugs through the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today. Eduardo Fernando Martinez-Gonzalez, 33, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 300 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant. Martinez-Gonzalez was also sentenced to 240 months in federal prison for conspiracy to launder money. The sentences will run concurrently. According to information presented in court, in July 2019, federal agents investigating the trafficking of multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin in the Dallas, Lewisville, McKinney, Carrollton, Fort Worth, and Plano, Texas, areas, determined that the drugs were sourced by an individual in Mexico with ties to the Sinaloa Cartel and that the drugs were shipped from Mexico to California and eventually to the greater Dallas area. During the investigation, Eduardo Fernando Martinez-Gonzalez, a/k/a Eduardo Torres-Hernandez, Eduardo Del Valle, Eduardo Del Valle Torres, and Lalo (Martinez-Gonzalez), was identified as a money launderer and illicit drug distributor for the drug trafficking organization in Dallas. Martinez-Gonzalez was responsible for receiving, counting, and packaging the drug proceeds along with recruiting others and paying their rent to conduct drug trafficking activities at their residences. In one instance, in June 2020, federal agents observed a single axle trailer arrive at a stash house on South Waterview Street in Richardson, where Martinez-Gonzalez was seen unloading the trailer. Past observations indicated trailers would arrive at that location loaded with cocaine and heroin, be off-loaded, and then reloaded with U.S. currency and a “cover load” for delivery to Mexico. The trailers would leave that location and arrive at a location on Townsend Drive in Dallas, where an additional “cover load” was added before leaving for Mexico the following day. Agents followed the driver of the trailer to the Townsend location where it was seized. A search of the trailer revealed two large televisions, a hot water heater, a Louis Vuitton bag, and four boxes of ceramic tile. The bottom of the water heater had been cut out, and seven bundles were taped inside. The bundles contained $774,910 in U.S. currency and approximately 58 grams of an orange, oval, pill. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ernest Gonzalez. ###


title: Member of Multi-State Gun Trafficking Scheme  Sentenced to Five Years in Prison

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: NEW BERN, N.C. – Shyheim Williams of Williamston, North Carolina, was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license. Williams, 27, pled guilty to the charges on April 11, 2023. Williams is the last of four codefendants to be sentenced in a gun trafficking scheme in which the organizer, Jacintre Holley , bought over 100 firearms from straw purchasers in North Carolina. “Gun laws restricting the purchase of firearms by felons are put in place to protect the public,” said U.S. Attorney Easley. “If you illegally purchase a gun for a felon, you will be held accountable. The criminal conduct in this case put guns bought in Eastern North Carolina in the hands of a killer in Connecticut – within 6 days. We and the ATF are relentlessly pursuing violent felons and the gunrunners and straw purchasers who arm them.” According to documents and other information presented in court, the gun trafficking investigation began when the Middletown, Connecticut, Police Department recovered a Taurus 9mm pistol used in a murder. A trace of the gun’s serial number showed that the firearm had been purchased by codefendant Keshwan Squire at the Smokin' Barrel Gun and Ammo in Raleigh, North Carolina. Surveillance records from the store showed Squire made a phone call from the parking lot after purchasing the firearm. Call records revealed that he called a Connecticut phone number later linked to Jacintre Holley. Records also revealed that Squire and Holley had as a mutual contact a phone number associated with defendant Shyheim Williams and his girlfriend and codefendant Jasnika Craig. Trace records for Craig showed that she made over 20 firearm purchases in North Carolina since 2020. Craig agreed to a recorded interview and admitted to selling firearms for a premium over market price. She admitted that almost all firearms went to Holley, who she estimated had come from Connecticut every two weeks since December 2020 to buy around seven firearms each time. Williams identified the guns she should purchase and set up the deals with Holley, which took place in Craig’s car in their driveway. In total, Craig estimated that she had sold around 100 firearms to Holley. Holley was arrested on July 31, 2021 and in an interview following his arrest, he confirmed that he bought firearms from Williams and Squire multiple times over the previous several months and sold those firearms in Connecticut. On February 14, 2023, Craig received a 24-month sentence, and Squire received an 18-month sentence. Each had pled guilty to one count of making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm. On February 24, 2023, the court sentenced Jacintre Holley to a 127-month term of imprisonment after he pled guilty to engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of the drug trafficking crime. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case, with assistance from the Martin County Sheriff’s Office and the Williamston and Greenville Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake D. Pugh prosecuted. 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. 4:22-cr-0019-FL. ###


title: Pharmacist, Physician, and Pharmacy Technician Charged in Health Care Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – Three individuals, including a pharmacist, doctor, and pharmacy technician, were charged in an Indictment for their alleged roles in a more than $7 million health care fraud scheme involving the diversion of expensive “specialty” prescription drugs, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced. Joining in the announcement were Devin J. Kowalski, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Special Agent in Charge Mario Pinto, Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Special Agent in Charge Angie M. Salazar, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Special Agent in Charge Orville Green, Drug Enforcement Administration. Charged in the Indictment are: • Samer N. Youssef, age 56, of Troy, Michigan and Indian Rocks Beach, Florida. • Dr. Daoud Faraj, age 52, of Dearborn, Michigan; and • Houda Bazzi, age 34, of Dearborn, Michigan and Indian Rocks Beach, Florida. The charges against Youssef, Dr. Faraj, and Bazzi include one count of health care fraud conspiracy and 15 counts of health care fraud, aiding and abetting. Youssef is also charged with 12 counts of money laundering. According to the Indictment, beginning in 2016, and continuing through 2021, Youssef, a licensed pharmacist, worked with other people to identify expensive “specialty” drugs that he could re-sell. “Specialty” drugs are prescription medications that treat less common conditions, or have other unique features, and prescriptions for the drugs are usually filled by specialty pharmacies, not regular retail pharmacies, via the mail or courier. Some of the specialty drugs identified in the indictment were meant to treat cystic fibrosis and relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis. Youssef worked with physicians in Southeast Michigan, including Dr. Faraj, to write medically unnecessary prescriptions for the specialty drugs Youssef wanted. Dr. Faraj wrote the medically unnecessary prescriptions in the names of “patients” who were individuals Youssef, Bazzi, or Dr. Faraj knew, including Medicare beneficiaries, and in the names of Youssef and Bazzi themselves, who were covered by Blue Care Network. These defendants arranged for the medically unnecessary drugs to be shipped to addresses in southeast Michigan which were under their control. Youssef, Dr. Faraj, and Bazzi caused Medicare and Blue Care Network to be billed for the medically unnecessary specialty medications. Medicare and Blue Care Network then paid for the specialty medications, which Youssef, Bazzi, and others sold and shipped to domestic and foreign businesses at 100% profit. “These licensed health care professionals are alleged to have defrauded Medicare and private insurers of millions of dollars and lined their own pockets with funds meant to provide essential services to seniors and disabled individuals ,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “My office is committed to prosecuting any medical professional who attempts to exploit taxpayer-funded programs or private insurers.” “Medical professionals and others who submit fraudulent claims to Medicare, undermine the solvency of our valuable Federal health care programs,” said Mario M. Pinto, Special Agent in Charge with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG is committed continuing to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those alleged of defrauding these programs are held accountable.” “These defendants allegedly compromised the integrity of the healthcare systems by taking millions of dollars that should have gone to providing quality care to patients with true medical needs,” said Devin J. Kowalski, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will not relent in our efforts to investigate and bring to justice anyone who engages in this type of criminal behavior.” “HSI is committed to working with our partners to identify and investigate criminal activity that defrauds the American taxpayer,” said HSI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Angie M. Salazar. “This type of fraud hurts all members of our community but is especially dangerous to the elderly and those who rely on these programs for treatment of serious illnesses.” An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The burden is on the government to prove guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Lievense, and Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Nathan is handling related forfeiture matters. The investigation is being conducted jointly by the FBI, HHS-OIG, HSI, and the DEA.


title: Las Vegas Man Sentenced To Over 12 Years in Prison For Sex Trafficking  Children While Visiting Metro-Detroit

body_text: DETROIT – A Las Vegas man who sex trafficked children in metro-Detroit while visiting the area in December 2020 was sentenced to 12 years and 6 months in prison, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today. Ison was joined in the announcement by Acting Special Agent in Charge Devin J. Kowalski, of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Field Division. Jquon Wroten, 31, pled guilty to two counts of sex trafficking of a minor in April 2023. Wroten was sentenced today by United States District Judge Bernard A. Friedman. Law enforcement first began investigating Wroten while attempting to locate two minor females who had run away from the Lansing area in late 2020. A relative of one of the minors contacted law enforcement with information and expressed fears that the minors were being trafficked in the Detroit area. Law enforcement recovered the minors from a motel room in Southfield, Michigan in December 2020 and learned that Wroten had recruited the minors to work for him after meeting them in a local motel while he was in town. Wroten and an adult female associate took the minors to a local beauty supply store and bought items in an effort to make them look older. Wroten then set up a commercial sex date for the minors at a residence in metro-Detroit and drove the minors to the date, where they engaged in commercial sex with multiple men. Wroten took proceeds from the sex trafficking for his own use. “The sex trafficking of children is a hideous crime that preys on some of our district’s most vulnerable citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “The court’s sentence today is a just punishment and will prevent the defendant from further victimizing children here or anywhere else.” “Protecting young people from dangerous predators is a top priority for the FBI in Michigan and across the country,” said Devin J. Kowalski, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “Mr. Wroten in an example of how manipulative these criminals can be. I commend the work of the special agents, deputies, police officers, and prosecutors who worked to make our children safer by ensuring he remains behind bars for a significant period of time.” This case was investigated by the FBI Detroit Division, FBI Las Vegas Division, FBI San Francisco Division, SEMTEC (Southwest Michigan Trafficking and Exploitation Crimes), and State of Michigan Children’s Protective Services. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan Sweeney Bean and Eaton Brown.


title: Temecula Man Charged with Multiple Narcotics Crimes, Including Distributing Fentanyl to Teenager Who Suffered Fatal Overdose

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: RIVERSIDE, California – A Riverside County man has been charged in a federal grand jury indictment alleging he sold a 17-year-old boy fentanyl in May, which resulted in the boy’s fatal overdose the following day, the Justice Department announced today. Kyler Thomas Overby, 22, of Temecula, was arrested on Friday and was arraigned that day on the nine-count indictment, which a grand jury returned on August 9. He pleaded not guilty to the charges and a bond of $750,000 was set. Overby is charged with one count of distribution of fentanyl to a person under the age of 21 resulting in death, seven counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and one count of knowingly possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. According to the indictment, on May 4, Overby knowingly an intentionally distributed fentanyl to the victim – identified in court documents as “L.B.” The following day, L.B., who was 17 years old, died after ingesting the fentanyl. Overby allegedly also possessed with the intent to distribute multiple controlled substances, including 201 grams of fentanyl, nearly one kilogram of cocaine, MDMA and alprazolam (also known by its brand name, Xanax). On June 5, Overby allegedly possessed multiple firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. Specifically, he is charged with possessing three firearms lacking serial numbers, commonly referred to as “ghost guns” – a 9mm pistol and two .40-caliber pistols. An October 2 trial date has been scheduled in United States District Court in Riverside. If convicted of all charges, Overby would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Riverside County Sheriff's Department are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Miles J. Robinson of the Riverside Branch Office is prosecuting this case.


title: Queens Man Pleads Guilty To Midtown Manhattan Shooting

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that STEFAN MELVILLE pled guilty today in connection with firing multiple rounds with a handgun at two individuals outside of a party at a hotel in Midtown Manhattan. MELVILLE pled guilty before United States District Judge Richard M. Berman and is scheduled to be sentenced on November 28, 2023. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “On a summer night in Midtown Manhattan last July, Stefan Melville used a handgun to fire multiple rounds of ammunition at two individuals walking on the sidewalk near the corner of 42 nd Street and Ninth Avenue. The shots sent innocent pedestrians frantically running for cover. Today’s plea sends an important message that we will continue to relentlessly investigate and prosecute gun violence in our city.” According to court filings and statements made in court proceedings: On or about July 3, 2022, MELVILLE fired multiple shots with a handgun in the direction of individuals walking on the sidewalk near the corner of 42 nd Street and Ninth Avenue. The following images from surveillance footage show MELVILLE firing his handgun. Upon arriving at the scene, officers of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) recovered the upper assembly of a firearm, 3 shell casings and 1 unfired cartridge inside the barrel of the firearm assembly on the sidewalk where MELVILLE engaged in the shooting. The following images show the shell casings and firearm assembly recovered at the scene. * * * MELVILLE, 30, of Queens, New York, pled guilty to one count of possession of ammunition after a felony conviction, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Metro Safe Streets Task Force, which is composed of agents and officers of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the NYPD. This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey W. Coyle is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Former Special Agent in Charge of the New York FBI Counterintelligence Division Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Violate U.S. Sanctions on Russia

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Former Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of the FBI Counterintelligence Division in New York, Charles McGonigal, 54, of New York City, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and to commit money laundering in connection with his 2021 agreement to provide services to Oleg Deripaska, a sanctioned Russian oligarch. According to court documents, on April 6, 2018, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska for having acted or purported to act on behalf of a senior official of the Government of the Russian Federation and for operating in the energy sector of the Russian Federation economy. The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia affirmed the sanctions against Deripaska, finding, among other things, that OFAC’s determination that Deripaska had acted as an agent of Russian President Vladimir Putin was supported by the evidence. “Charles McGonigal, by his own admission, betrayed his oath and actively concealed his illicit work at the bidding of a sanctioned Russian oligarch,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Today’s plea shows the Department of Justice’s resolve to pursue and dismantle the illegal networks that Russian oligarchs use to try to escape the reach of our sanctions and evade our laws.” “After his tenure as a high-level FBI official who supervised and participated in investigations of Russian oligarchs, Charles McGonigal has now admitted that he agreed to evade U.S. sanctions by providing services to one of those oligarchs, Oleg Deripaska,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York. “This office will continue to hold to account those who violate U.S. sanctions for their own financial benefit.” “Charles McGonigal broke his oath to defend the Constitution and turned his back on his duty to protect the American people in favor of his own greed by working for a sanctioned Russian oligarch,” said Assistant Director Suzanne Turner of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “Every day, the men and women of the FBI protect the American people and uphold the Constitution. No matter the perpetrator, even if it’s one of our own, the FBI will go to great lengths to investigate individuals who put their own interests above U.S. national security.” As an FBI official, McGonigal had helped investigate Deripaska and other Russian oligarchs. In 2018, while serving as SAC, McGonigal received a then-classified list of Russian oligarchs with close ties to the Kremlin who would be considered for sanctions. In 2021, McGonigal conspired to provide services to Deripaska, in violation of the U.S. sanctions imposed on Deripaska in April 2018. Specifically, following his negotiations with an agent of Deripaska, McGonigal agreed to and did investigate a rival Russian oligarch in return for concealed payments from Deripaska. As part of their negotiations with Deripaska’s agent, McGonigal and the agent attempted to conceal Deripaska’s involvement by, among other means, not directly naming Deripaska in electronic communications, using shell companies as counterparties in the contract that outlined the services to be performed, using a forged signature on that contract, and using the same shell companies to send and receive payment from Deripaska. McGonigal faces up to five years in prison for each count and is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 14. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI New York Field Office investigated the case, with valuable assistance provided by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the New York City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hagan Scotten, Rebecca T. Dell, and Derek Wikstrom for the Southern District of New York are prosecuting the case with valuable assistance provided by Trial Attorney Christina A. Clark of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. McGonigal Plea Agreement


title: Boston Man Sentenced to Nearly Six Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. London Lee, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 71 months in prison and four years of supervised release. In April 2023, Lee pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and cocaine. Lee was arrested and charged along with co-defendant Josiah Watkins in April 2021. In February 2021, an investigation began into drug trafficking activities conducted by Lee and Watkins. The investigation revealed that Lee and Watkins were actively selling cocaine and fentanyl in the Boston area. Between February and April 2021, Watkins sold or arranged the sale of fentanyl and cocaine in at least 10 separate controlled purchases. In April 2023 , Watkins was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 51 months in prison and four years of supervised release. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Christopher DiMenna, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Dawley, Jr. of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Grand Prairie Man Sentenced to Federal Prison in Connection with Donut Shop Robberies

body_text: SHERMAN, Texas – A second man has been sentenced to federal prison in connection with a string of violent home invasion type robberies in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today. Kendrick Donnell Jones, Jr., 24, of Grand Prairie, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery; aiding and abetting; conspiracy to kidnap; using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Jones was sentenced to 262 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant. Last month, Tony Sullivan was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for his role in the robberies. According to information presented in court, the FBI began an investigation into a series of home invasion type robbery incidents between April 2019 and December 2019 that targeted owners and operators of donut stores in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex area. The robberies occurred late in the evening or very early in the morning before the shopkeepers departed for work. The assailants would force their way into the home and assault the home’s occupants. Victims were often beat with baseball bats and bound with duct tape while being held at gunpoint. At least nine robberies have been attributed to this crime spree. Due to the times of the robberies coinciding with the times the victims would have been leaving their residences to open their businesses, agents concluded the suspects had to have conducted physical surveillance to determine where the victims lived and when the victims would have been leaving their residences. On the evening of July 8, 2019, officers in Euless, Texas, received a call from a witness reporting an individual stumbling down his street with his hands bound by tape. The victim had a bleeding head wound and was transported to a hospital. The victim advised he returned home from his donut shop in Dallas to find two suspects in his residence. He was bound and beat with a baseball bat and ordered to open a safe. The assailants left with the victim’s car keys, cellular phone, approximately $9,500 from the safe, and approximately $900 from his wallet. Law enforcement agents utilized footage from surveillance videos, cell phone site data, and data extracted from cellular phones to determine Jones participated in the attack. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Violent Crimes Task Force, which includes the Dallas Police Department, the Garland Police Department, the Grand Prairie Police Department, the Richardson Police Department, and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Other investigating agencies who assisted in the investigation are the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), the Carrollton Police Department, the Coppell Police Department, the Dallas Police Department, the Dalworthington Gardens Police Department, the Euless Police Department, and the Flower Mound Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ernest Gonzalez. ###


title: Man Sentenced for Conning Summer Food Service Program Out of $2.3 Million

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: A Dallas man who scammed the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Summer Food Service Program out of more than $2.3 million was sentenced yesterday to a year and a half in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Michael Anthony Munson, the 47-year-old founder of the Heloise Munson Foundation, was indicted in August 2018 and pleaded guilty in July 2022 to summer food service program fraud. He was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Ada Brown, who is expected to order restitution later this week. Mr. Munson was charged, convicted, and sentenced under 42 U.S.C. § 1761(o)(1) , a statute Congress enacted in 1977 to address fraud in the Summer Food Service Program , a U.S. Department of Agriculture initiative that provides free meals to children in low-income areas when school is not in session. According to plea papers, Mr. Munson admitted that over the course of seven years, from 2008 to 2014, he knowingly inflated meal counts for summer food sites his foundation serviced and even provided false meal counts for sites it did not actually service. He further admitted that in response to an inquiry into the legitimacy of these claims, he paid an individual $75,000 who fabricated invoices from a fictitious company, Janus Wholesale Food, Inc., indicating that the foundation had purchased enough food, milk, and juice to provide the number of meals it claimed to have provided. In October 2013, he testified under oath at an administrative hearing that the Heloise Munson Foundation had purchased food from Janus. He also submitted a fabricated affidavit from the purported Director of Sales for Janus, falsely stating that Janus sold food, milk, and juice to the foundation. According to court documents, Mr. Munson claimed to have provided more than 2.4 million meals to needy children. In reality, he provided fewer than 1 million meals, pocketing fraudulently-obtained reimbursements for more than 1.4 million meals that were never provided. The U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Brasher prosecuted the case.


title: Philadelphia Resident Sentenced to 84 Months’ Imprisonment for Conviction of Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with the Intent to Distribute 500 Grams or More of Heroin

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has been sentenced in federal court to 84 months’ imprisonment followed by 4 years of supervised release on his conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of heroin, United States Attorney Eric O. Olshan announced today. United States District Judge William S. Stickman, IV imposed the sentence on Carlos Regalado, 41, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. According to information presented to the court, in 2018, the Federal Bureau of Investigation began investigating a heroin trafficking organization, of which Regalado was a member, that operated throughout the greater Pittsburgh area. Beginning in February of 2019 and continuing through September of 2019, the FBI received authorization to conduct a Title III wiretap investigation into the organization. Regalado supplied the organization with heroin that he personally transported from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh for distribution by various members of the organization. In addition to the intercepted communications, agents seized heroin, firearms, and bulk United States Currency from members of the organization. Judge Stickman referenced the seriousness of the offense as well as Regalado’s criminal history. Assistant United States Attorney Mark V. Gurzo prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Allegheny County Police Department, the Stowe Township Police Department, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, the Office of the Attorney General, the Allegheny County Sheriff's Office, the North Versailles Police Department, the Allegheny County Port Authority Police Department, the Munhall Police Department, and the Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Regalado. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Kanawha County Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Child Pornography Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Billy Eggleston, 50, of St. Albans, was sentenced today to 30 years in prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for production of child pornography. Eggleston must also register as a sex offender. According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 26, 2020, Eggleston engaged in sexually explicit conduct with a prepubescent female for the purpose of photographing such conduct. Eggleston admitted to using his cell phone to take a series of 62 photos of him engaged in sexually explicit conduct with the prepubescent female while she was sleeping. The sexually explicit photos were taken by Eggleston in his bedroom. Eggleston transferred the images to his desktop computer. Eggleston admitted to possessing nearly 5,000 videos and images of child pornography on his desktop computer and a memory card on October 21, 2022. Eggleston further admitted that one of these images was of an adult male sexually assaulting a minor female between four and seven years old, and another image was of a minor female between two and four years old subjected to sexually explicit conduct by an adult male. “To prey upon this child, Billy Eggleston gained the trust of her and her family and then betrayed that trust in a most abhorrent manner to fulfill his depraved fantasies,” United States Attorney Will Thompson said. “I commend the investigative work of the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the West Virginia State Police (WVSP) and the St. Albans Police Department, and the assistance provided by the Charleston Area Medical Center (CAMC) Children’s Advocacy Center.” “Through his vile actions, Mr. Eggleston has proven to be a threat to the law-abiding residents of his community,” said Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C. “The severity of his sentence displays the degree of danger that he presented. We cannot tolerate such a menace to prey upon the good people of our West Virginia neighborhoods. HSI Washington, D.C., along with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, will continue to detect, disrupt, and apprehend anyone who means to cause harm to the people that we have sworn to protect.” United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . 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-3. ###


title: Air Medical Transport Company Agrees to Pay $1 Million to Resolve Allegations of False Claims Act Violations

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky. – Air Methods Corporation, a national provider of air medical transport services, agreed to pay the federal government $1,050,873, to resolve civil allegations that it had failed to return known overpayments received from Medicare, Kentucky Medicaid, Tricare, and the Department of Veterans Affairs. The United States alleged that Air Methods violated the False Claims Act, by improperly retaining overpayments for more than 100 flights that it knew to be medically unnecessary and, therefore, ineligible for reimbursement by federal healthcare programs. Federal healthcare programs, including Medicare and Kentucky Medicaid, only provide reimbursement for air ambulance transportation if the beneficiary’s medical condition requires air transport, and transport by ground ambulance is not appropriate. The United States alleged that Air Methods’ internal review process identified flights that did not meet these coverage requirements, including instances where patients were flown despite not meeting trauma criteria. The False Claims Act, a federal law that prohibits causing the submission of false or fraudulent claims to the federal government, also forbids knowingly concealing, avoiding, or decreasing an obligation to pay the government. As such, healthcare providers also face False Claims Act liability when they fail to return known overpayments to federal healthcare programs. “Healthcare providers have a legal obligation to return known overpayments received from the federal government,” said Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “It is critically important to all of us that such misapplied funds are returned to their purpose – providing necessary medical care – and that we take the steps necessary to protect the limited resources available to these vital programs.” "Federal health care programs are an important resource for millions of Americans to receive medical care," said Tamala E. Miles, Special Agent in Charge at the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). "HHS-OIG will continue to promote the proper use of federal health care funds and their protection from fraud, waste, and abuse." The settlement resolves a lawsuit brought by a private citizen under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. Under those provisions, a private party can file a civil action on behalf of the United States, thereby bringing allegations of fraud to the Government’s attention, and share in any financial recovery. As part of this resolution, the individual who filed the qui tam complaint will receive approximately $190,000 from the settlement. This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, the Department of Defense, Defense Criminal Investigative Services, and the Affirmative Civil Enforcement section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin Long and Mary Melton represented the United States. This case is captioned United States ex rel. Scott Crum v. Air Methods Corporation , Case No. 3:18-CV-00043-GFVT. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. – END –


title: Olathe Man Sentenced for Airport Disruption Following Police Chase on Downtown Airport Runway

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Olathe, Kansas, man who led police officers on a high-speed chase down a runway at the downtown airport was sentenced in federal court today for disrupting airport operations as well as illegally possessing a firearm. Efren Torres-Rodriguez, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 78 months in federal prison without parole. On March 8, 2023, Torres-Rodriguez pleaded guilty to damaging and disrupting an international airport and to being a felon and an unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm. Kansas City, Mo., police officers were notified of a suspicious car, a Dodge Charger, parked near a gate at the Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport on Feb. 1, 2022. When officers arrived, they found Torres-Rodriguez passed out in the driver’s seat of the running car. Officers turned off the car and opened the door, which woke up Torres-Rodriguez. Officers ordered Torres-Rodriguez out of the car, but he refused. Instead, Torres-Rodriguez started the vehicle and drove away, crashing through the gate to the airfield. Torres-Rodriguez drove at speeds up to 100 miles per hour down the airport runway, with officers in pursuit. Torres-Rodriguez drove on a tarmac on the west side of the airfield. When he attempted to cross over the airstrip into a grassy area, his vehicle became inoperable. Officers removed Torres-Rodriguez from the vehicle and placed him under arrest. Officers found a clear plastic bag in his pants pocket that contained 4.6 grams of methamphetamine. When officers searched Torres-Rodriguez’s vehicle, they found a Glock .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine, which were both empty of ammunition, under the driver’s seat. They also found several rounds of ammunition and drug paraphernalia. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony or who is an illegal user of a controlled substance to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Torres-Rodriguez has prior felony convictions for possession of a firearm with a prior violent offense and for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Torres-Rodriguez also admitted to using methamphetamine every other day and to smoking marijuana daily since he was 15 years old. As a result of Torres-Rodriguez’s actions, the Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport’s activities were significantly disrupted. For approximately 40 minutes, operations at the airport were closed and planes were not allowed to land or take off. Torres-Rodriguez interfered with the operations at the airport as two aircrafts had delayed departures, one aircraft had a delayed arrival and had to remain airborne for approximately 50 minutes, one aircraft had to cancel its flight and one aircraft did not depart. When Torres-Rodriguez crashed his vehicle through the Downtown Airport’s gate, he destroyed the gate and caused serious damage to the facility’s fence that is designed to keep both trespassers and animals away from the runways. At sentencing, the parties presented evidence that Torres-Rodriguez caused over $23,000 in damage to the airport. The insurance covering the vehicle driven by Torres-Rodriguez paid for all damages to the airport prior to sentencing. Torres-Rodriguez’s actions also served to endanger the safety of the persons utilizing the air navigation facility. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the FBI. Project Safe Neighborhoods This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.


title: Trucker hauling people and drugs headed to federal prison

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 50-year-old commercial truck driver has been ordered to federal prison following his convictions of alien smuggling and possession with intent to distribute meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Fabian Alvarado pleaded guilty Feb. 27. U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered him to serve a 120-month sentence to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence detailing Alvarado’s extensive criminal history including prior federal convictions for drug trafficking and alien smuggling. On Dec. 9, 2022, Alvarado drove a tractor-trailer into the inspection lane of the U.S. Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint located near Falfurrias. There, authorities observed Alvarado acting suspiciously during routine inspection. A K-9 also alerted to the vehicle. Law enforcement then referred him to the secondary inspection area where they discovered five aliens concealed in the sleeper portion of the tractor. They also found a bag in the passenger seat which contained 45 grams of meth and a firearm along with Alvarado’s wallet. In the glove compartment were cellular phones and identification documents taken from the aliens as they were loaded into the sleeper berth. “Today’s prison sentence sends a resounding message to human smugglers and drug traffickers everywhere who believe they can circumvent our nation’s laws without detection or penalty,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) - Corpus Christi Assistant Special Agent in Charge Robert Hein. “Working in conjunction with our partners at Border Patrol, this individual was quickly identified at the southern border as a suspected drug trafficker and human smuggler, convicted of his crimes and will spend the next 10 years in federal prison.” Alvarado will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Homeland Security Investigations conducted this investigation with the assistance of BP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert D. Thorpe Jr. prosecuted the case.


title: “Wrecking Ball” lands LPR in federal prison

body_text: GALVESTON, Texas - A 44-year-old legal permanent resident from the Dominican Republic has been sentenced in a cocaine and heroin conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. A federal jury convicted Emilio Ramon Torres following an 11-day trial in August 2022. He was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five or more kilograms of cocaine and one or more kilograms of heroin as well as possession with intent to distribute 16 kilograms of cocaine. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey V. Brown has now ordered him to serve a total of 120 months in federal prison. He could also lost his status to reside in the United States. The investigation focused upon a group of distributors and their associates, primarily citizens of the Dominican Republic, who used common sources of drugs in Mexico to supply their customers in numerous states other than Texas. This group of distributors sold cocaine and heroin throughout the United States but operated out of the Houston area. Torres worked within the drug trafficking organization by stashing cocaine at his apartment in Houston. He received shipments of cocaine and held them at his residence until instructed about how much to make available for delivery to customers. The defense attempted to convince the jury Torres was an honest person who would not engage in drug distribution. The jury did not believe those claims and found Torres guilty as charged. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation dubbed “Wrecking Ball” with the assistance of the Houston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Cusick is prosecuting the case. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage .


title: Idaho Falls Man Indicted for Possession with the Intent to Distribute Over 70,000 Pills Containing Fentanyl

component: U.S. Attorneys (USAO)

body_text: POCATELLO – Jason Scott Hurley, 44, of Idaho Falls, was indicted on July 25, 2023, by a federal grand jury sitting in Pocatello on three counts of possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. The indictment alleges that on three separate occasions in June of 2023, Hurley knowingly and intentionally possessed four-hundred grams or more of a substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl. According to court records, it is alleged that investigators seized over 70,000 pills from Hurley and storage units he controlled. On August 2, 2023, Hurley appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Candy W. Dale and entered a not guilty plea. A jury trial is scheduled for October 10, 2023, before Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill at the Pocatello courthouse. The charge of possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl in the amount of four‑hundred grams or more is punishable by at least ten years and up to life in prison, a maximum fine of $10,000,000, and at least five years of supervised release. This case is being investigated by the Idaho Falls Police Department, with assistance from the Bonneville County Sherriff’s Office, the Idaho State Police (District 5), the Chubbuck Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations in Idaho Falls. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Paskett is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Former San Jose State University Director of Sports Medicine Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights Violations for Unlawful Sexual Touching of Female Student-Athletes

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: A former San Jose State University (SJSU) director of sports medicine pleaded guilty today in the Northern District of California for unlawfully touching female student-athletes under the guise of providing medical treatment. As part of the plea agreement, Scott Shaw admitted that, between 2017 and 2020, he violated the civil rights of four students who played on women’s athletics teams by touching their breasts and buttocks without their consent and without a legitimate medical purpose. According to documents filed in connection with the plea agreement, from 2008 until August 2020, Shaw served as the director of sports medicine and head athletic trainer at SJSU, a public university that is part of the California State University system and was an employee of the State of California. His duties included treating injuries sustained by student-athletes at SJSU. During the fall semester of 2017, Shaw treated I.S., a member of the women’s water polo team. On one occasion while treating I.S., Shaw began massaging the back of her shoulder and neck, and then he moved his hands down and touched her breast. During the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 academic years, Shaw treated J.M., a member of the women’s water polo team. While doing so on one occasion, Shaw applied pressure to both sides of her neck and worked his hands down to her chest, and then he touched her breast, including her areola, under her clothing with his bare hand. On another occasion while treating J.M.’s back, Shaw touched her buttocks under her clothing with his bare hand. During the spring semester of 2019, Shaw treated A.L., a member of the women’s water polo team. Shaw treated A.L. to address an injury to her shoulder, and while treating A.L.’s injury, he touched her breast under her clothing with his bare hand. During the 2019-2020 academic year, Shaw treated K.B., a member of the women’s soccer team, on two occasions. On one occasion, K.B. sought treatment for back pain, and, while examining her spine, Shaw touched her breasts, and then he touched her buttocks. On another occasion, K.B. sought assistance in applying electrotherapy patches known as “stim pads” to treat her back pain, and Shaw touched her buttocks under her clothing with his bare hands while placing the stim pads. According to documents filed in connection with the plea agreement, Shaw admitted that he engaged in all of the conduct described above on SJSU’s campus in San Jose, California, and in his capacity as a SJSU athletic trainer, and the student-athletes only allowed him to have physical contact with them because of his status as a SJSU Athletic Trainer. Shaw also admitted that he touched each of the student-athletes as described above without any legitimate diagnostic or treatment purpose, and without seeking or securing their consent in advance. Shaw further admitted that his conduct was not the result of mistake, carelessness, or accident. “Scott Shaw abused his position of trust and authority as a public university official to sexually assault female student-athletes who entrusted him with their medical care,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “No student-athlete should ever be subject to sexual harassment at the hands of their sports medicine director, coach or any other official at a college or university. This egregious conduct violates federal law, and the Justice Department will aggressively prosecute individuals who exploit their positions of authority to sexually abuse our community members. We stand with the survivors and thank them for their courage and willingness to support the government’s prosecution of this defendant.” “Shaw now has acknowledged his guilt and has admitted the conduct that resulted in the charges that were filed against him,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Robbins for the Northern District of California. “We hope his guilty plea and conviction bring some level of solace to his victims, and we now look to sentencing which will be a major step toward bringing this matter to a conclusion.” “The defendant in this case used his position as an athletic trainer to commit acts of abuse against multiple female athletes who came to him for care,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Today’s guilty plea shows that the FBI will not tolerate violations of civil rights under the guise of legitimate medical treatment.” Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 14. Shaw faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison for each count, a maximum of one year of supervised release for each count and a fine of up to $100,000 on each count. The FBI San Francisco Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Pitman for the Northern District of California, and Trial Attorney MarLa Duncan and Attorney Advisor Sarah Howard of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.


title: Illinois Man Sentenced for Setting Fire to Reproductive Health Services Facility

body_text: An Illinois man was sentenced today for the arson of the Planned Parenthood Peoria Health Center in Peoria, Illinois. Tyler W. Massengill, 33, was sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $1.45 million in restitution. He previously pleaded guilty on Feb. 16 to malicious use of fire and an explosive to damage, and attempt to damage, the Peoria Health Center. According to court documents and statements made in court, Massengill maliciously set fire to the Peoria Health Center on Jan. 15 because he believed his ex-partner had received an abortion there, and he was angry about it. Massengill believed that, if his actions caused a little delay in a person receiving services at the Peoria Health Center, his conduct may have been worth it. The fire resulted in significant damage to the Peoria Health Center. “This defendant’s violent conduct severely damaged the Peoria Health Center and obstructed patients’ access to reproductive health services,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to aggressively prosecute such unlawful, destructive acts, and to protect the clinics that provide reproductive health services, as well as their patients and staff.” “The defendant’s destructive actions in setting fire to the Peoria Health Clinic were reprehensible and limited the ability of women in our community to access important reproductive health services,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris for the Central District of Illinois. “We are grateful to our federal and local law enforcement partners for their excellent work on this investigation.” “Massengill’s actions represent the very real threat posed by extremists in our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge David Nanz of the FBI Springfield Field Office. “Protecting the American people from such extremists remains a top priority for the FBI and our team remains laser-focused on identifying, investigating and disrupting individuals who cross the line from expressing protected speech to violating federal law.” “Any violent act like this is unacceptable. Worse here, is that this defendant used violence to target health care providers and their patients,” said Director Steven Dettelbach of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) . “I want to commend the ATF investigators, the prosecutors and our partners for taking action to protect the victims of this violent and potentially lethal arson.” The FBI Springfield Field Office, Peoria Police Department and the ATF investigated the case, with assistance from the Peoria Fire Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Hanna for the Central District of Illinois prosecuted the case with assistance from Trial Attorney Erin Monju of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section. Anyone who has information about incidents of violence, threats and obstruction that target a patient or provider of reproductive health services, or damage and destruction of reproductive health care facilities, should report that information to the FBI at www.tips.fbi.gov . For more information about clinic violence, and the Justice Department’s related enforcement efforts, please visit www.justice.gov/crt/national-task-force-violence-against-reproductive-health-care-providers .


title: Man Accused of Role in Scam Targeting Elderly Couple in St. Louis Area

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man appeared in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Tuesday to face a federal criminal complaint accusing him of a role in a scam that tried to steal $88,000 from an elderly Missouri couple with false child pornography claims. Yu-Chieh Huang, 22, was charged by complaint August 11 in U.S. District Court in St. Louis with a felony charge of wire fraud. Charging documents say that a 78-year-old man trying to access his personal computer on August 9 was greeted with a pop-up message claiming that his computer was infected with a virus. The message instructed him to call a specified telephone number. When the man and his 76-year-old wife called the number, they were told that their banking information had been compromised because someone had been accessing child pornography on the computer, and that they would have to pay $88,000 to avoid prosecution, the complaint says. The couple was told to withdraw the money in multiple transactions from multiple branches of their financial institution, then photograph and package the money and await a visitor. The couple became suspicious after completing the withdrawals, and when Huang arrived at their house on August 10 to collect the money, they refused to pay, the complaint says. After Huang left, the couple called police and met with an officer at their home. They called police again when Huang returned and officers found him at the home and arrested him, the complaint says. Investigators believe Huang was a courier paid from $500 to $1,000 to pick up cash from scam victims, use a fraudulent Taiwanese passport to deposit cash into a bank account and then transfer the money to others via cashier’s checks, the complaint says. Huang picked up $40,000 from an elderly individual in Colorado and $40,000 from an elderly person in Oregon before traveling to St. Louis, the complaint says. Court documents say Huang is from Taiwan. “Criminals who take advantage of elderly individuals, whose income is often fixed, are absolutely appalling,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations Kansas City Taekuk Cho. “These offenders are very organized and utilize a multitude of fear tactics to extort vulnerable people and oftentimes cause undue financial hardship.” The charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both prison and a fine. Charges set forth in a criminal complaint are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry is prosecuting the case.


title: California Company Sentenced for Illegally Discharging  Wastewater From Olive Branch Manufacturing Plant

component: USAO - Mississippi, Northern

body_text: Oxford, MS – A California company operating a manufacturing facility in Olive Branch, Mississippi, was sentenced today for discharging wastewater into a Publicly Owned Treatment Works without obtaining a valid state permit. According to court documents, View, Inc., headquartered in Milipitas, California, previously plead guilty to a charge of negligently discharging wastewater into a Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW) without making an application for and obtaining a valid state permit, in violation of 33 U.S.C. § 1319(c)(1)(A). View, Inc.’s, sole manufacturing facility is located in Olive Branch, Mississippi. As part of its manufacturing process, View, Inc., discharges wastewater from glass cutting, grinding, washing, and polishing directly to two discharge points connected to the city’s sewer system. View, Inc., is a Significant Industrial User discharging approximately 248,000 gallons per day to the city’s POTW accounting for more than 38% of the POTW’s designed and permitted capacity of 537,000 gallons per day. From on or about December 11, 2018, to on or about June 28, 2021, View, Inc., by and through its employees, negligently violated a requirement of a pretreatment program approved under 33 U.S.C. § 1342(b) by discharging without a permit. U.S. District Judge Sharion Aycock sentenced View, Inc., today to a three-year term of probation and ordered View, Inc., to pay a fine in the amount of Three Million dollars ($3,000,000.00). The court further ordered View, Inc., to make a community service payment to DeSoto County Regional Utility Authority in the total amount of Four Hundred Fifty Thousand dollars ($450,000.00) to be used for the sole purpose of expanding wastewater treatment capacity in DeSoto County. As part of the resolution of the criminal charges, View, Inc., has also entered into a separate, but related, civil Agreed Order with the Mississippi Commission on Environmental Quality by and through the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, which has assessed a civil penalty in the amount of One Million Five Hundred Thousand dollars ($1,500,000). “When companies place profit and convenience above public safety, we will do all we can to punish that behavior and protect the public,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “This illegal discharge of wastewater into the public treatment facility demonstrated a blatant disregard for the safety and wellbeing of citizens in our District and we applaud the stiff fines imposed by the court in this case.” “Unpermitted discharges of industrial wastewater can pose a serious threat to our nation’s wastewater treatment systems,” said Charles Carfagno, Special Agent in Charge of EPA's Southeast Area Branch. “This prosecution and today’s sentencing demonstrates that EPA and its partner agencies are committed to protecting the environment and pursuing those who chose to ignore environmental laws.” The Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality investigated this case. The case was prosecuted by AUSA Robert Mims.


title: Connecticut Man Sentenced to Over Three Years in Prison for Human Smuggling Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – A Connecticut man was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester for conspiring to commit human smuggling. Fagner Chaves De Lima, 42, of East Hartford, Conn., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to 41 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In April 2023, De Lima pleaded guilty to one count of attempted human smuggling. De Lima conspired with others to illegally smuggle individuals from Brazil into the United States for money and profit. In exchange for payments of thousands of dollars, De Lima and conspirators made travel arrangements for clients to illegally enter the United States from Brazil by plane or bus, and arranged lodging accommodations for clients during their travel. In addition, De Lima extorted clients while their journey to the United States was underway by threatening to harm them and/or their family if they did not pay additional money. De Lima and his conspirators also created and transmitted false documents that were used as part of the illegal smuggling operation. In May and June 2022, an undercover agent-initiated communications with De Lima over WhatsApp under the guise that the agent sought to have his sister and niece smuggled into the United States. The undercover agent offered to pay $15,000 for De Lima’s services, and De Lima agreed to the arrangement. De Lima stated during these communications (translated from Portuguese) that he had been engaged in human smuggling “for 20 years,” and that he will smuggle individuals “whether you have a visa, no visa, or if . . .[they] are wanted by the police.” De Lima also acknowledged in later messages that human smuggling is “dangerous.” On June 16, 2022, De Lima traveled to Worcester to meet with the undercover agent, during which De Lima accepted two checks for the agreed upon total of $15,000 in exchange for his smuggling services and requested the sister’s passport and Social Security number. “At its core, human smuggling operations exploit some of the most vulnerable people in our society purely for profit,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “We are determined to hold people engaged in this conduct accountable.” “No human being should ever be treated as a commodity but that is exactly what Fagner Chaves De Lima did when he conspired with others to exploit, endanger, and extort those seeking a new life in America to rake in hundreds of thousands of dollars for himself,” said Christopher DiMenna, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Today’s sentence demonstrates that we have zero tolerance for people who run human smuggling operations.” Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and FBI Acting SAC DiMenna made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Yuma Field Office; Homeland Security Investigations in Yuma; U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; and the Marlborough, Worcester, Hartford (Conn.) and East Hartford (Conn.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case. If you believe that you or someone you know may be a victim of human smuggling/trafficking, please contact the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline at 1-888-373-7888, or Text 233733.


title: Boone County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Troy Wilson Wheatley, 42, of Boone County, was sentenced today to five years and eight months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 30, 2021, law enforcement officers responded to reports of a shooting at Wheatley’s residence near Chapmanville. Officers encountered Wheatley and seized a Ruger, model Security-9, 9mm pistol and a Smith & Wesson, .22-caliber pistol. One firearm was in a holster on Wheatley’s hip and the other was in his back pocket. Wheatley admitted to possessing the firearms and further admitted to the officers that he had discharged a firearm when his nephew drove past the residence that morning. On December 2, 2021, Wheatley was a passenger in a vehicle pulled over by a law enforcement officer in the Big Creek area of Logan County. Wheatley was wearing an empty pistol holster on his belt, and told the officer there was a firearm under the seat. The officer found a Beretta model 950 .25-caliber pistol under Wheatley’s seat. The officer obtained a search warrant for Wheatley’s residence that day and seized a SCCY model CPX-2 9mm pistol between Wheatley’s mattress. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Wheatley was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for delivery of a controlled substance in Nicholas County Circuit Court on February 3, 2006. Wheatley’s long criminal history includes prior convictions for such other offenses as obstructing an officer, disrupting public service, petit larceny, possession of methamphetamine, possession of stolen property, threatening communications by electronic device, being a person prohibited from possessing firearms, and more than 10 separate counts of driving on a suspended/revoked license. The Court granted an upward variance from Wheatley’s original sentencing range, citing several factors including his decades-long pattern of criminal conduct. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Boone County Sheriff’s Department, and the West Virginia State Police. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Nowles Heinrich and Lesley Shamblin prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-225. ###


title: Union County Man Sentenced to 50 Months in Prison for Role in Conspiracy to Target Asian Homeowners in Residential Burglaries

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 50 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy that targeted Asian and Asian-American homeowners for residential burglaries, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Randi Barr, 42, of Vauxhall, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property. Judge Padin imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From Dec. 2, 2016, to March 20, 2019, Barr and others participated in a conspiracy to burglarize the residences of certain Asian small business owners living in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware of large sums of money, valuable jewelry, and other items, and then transport the stolen goods in interstate commerce, including to Barr’s residences in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. In addition to the prison term, Judge Padin ordered restitution and forfeiture of $127,661. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited FBI Newark’s Transnational Organized Crime Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy, in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. He also thanked the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, South Plainfield, Hazlet Police Department, and Edison police departments, the New Jersey State Police, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Department of State, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Department of Transportation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Bernards Township, Bethlehem Township, Cherry Hill, Cinnaminson, Clark, Colonial Regional, Cranford, Delran, East Brunswick, East Hanover, Eatontown, Elizabeth, Evesham Township, Exeter Township, Fair Lawn, Forks Township, Fort Lee, Franklin Township, Glassboro, Gloucester Township, Hackensack, Haverstraw, Highland Park, Hillside, Hillsborough Township, Howell Township, Jackson, Kenilworth, Lawrence Township, Linden, Lyndhurst, Mahwah, Marlboro Township, Maywood, Middletown, Montgomery County, Montville, Morris Township, Mount Laurel, Mountainside, New Castle County, New Providence, North Brunswick, North Plainfield, Old Bridge, Paramus, Parsippany, Phillipsburg, Piscataway, Pocono Mountain Regional, Pocono Township, Raritan, Roselle Park, Sayreville, Somerville, South Brunswick, South River, South Whitehall Township, Spotswood, Town of Tuxedo, Tinton Falls, Toms River, Township of Ocean, Union, Upper Macungie Township, Wall Township, Warren, Washington Township, Watchung, Westfield, Whitehall Township, and Woodbridge Township police departments. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dong Joo Lee and Barry O’Connell of the U.S. Attorney’s Office OCDETF/Narcotics Unit in Newark.


title: Missouri Woman Admits $237,000 in Pandemic Frauds

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A woman from St. Peters, Missouri on Tuesday admitted fraudulently obtaining a total of $237,000 from two pandemic assistance programs. Regina Brand, 52, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk to one felony wire fraud charge. She admitted submitting at least 12 fraudulent applications for rental assistance under the Missouri State Assistance for Housing Relief Program to the Missouri Housing Development Commission between Sept. 1, 2021 and at least June 30, 2022. The program was intended to provide emergency assistance to landlords and renters to prevent a wave of evictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Brand admitted fraudulently listing “Angels Voices” or “Brand Construction” as the landlords and submitting fraudulent lease agreements to support the applications. Brand received $96,825. Brand also admitted submitting four fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loan applications between April 1, 2020 and at least August 25, 2021, again in the name of Angels Voices or Brand Construction. Brand made false representations on the applications, including when listing the average monthly payroll and number of employees employed by the companies. Based on the misrepresentations on the loan applications, PPP lenders wired a total of $140,261 to Brand’s bank accounts. Brand is scheduled to be sentenced on November 15. The wire fraud charges carry a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. She will also be ordered to repay the money. The case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting the case.


title: Chillicothe, Illinois, Man Sentenced for Setting Fire to Reproductive Health Services Facility

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

body_text: PEORIA, Ill. – A Chillicothe, Illinois, man, was sentenced today for the arson of the Planned Parenthood Peoria Health Center in Peoria, Illinois. Tyler W. Massengill, 33, was sentenced to 120 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $1,450,000 in restitution by U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid. He previously pleaded guilty on February 16, 2023, to malicious use of fire and an explosive to damage, and attempt to damage, the Peoria Health Center. According to court documents and statements made in court, Massengill maliciously set fire to the Peoria Health Center on January 15, 2023, because he believed his ex-partner had received an abortion there, and he was angry about it. Massengill believed that, if his actions caused a little delay in a person receiving services at the Peoria Health Center, his conduct may have been worth it. The fire resulted in significant damage to the Peoria Health Center. “This defendant’s violent conduct severely damaged the Peoria Health Center and upended patients’ access to reproductive health services,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to aggressively prosecute such unlawful, destructive acts, and to protect the clinics that provide reproductive health services, as well as their patients and staff.” “The defendant’s destructive actions in setting fire to the Peoria Health Clinic were reprehensible and limited the ability of women in our community to access important reproductive health services,” said U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois Gregory K. Harris. “We are grateful to our federal and local law enforcement partners for their excellent work on this investigation.” “Massengill’s actions represent the very real threat posed by extremists in our communities,” said FBI Springfield Field Office Special Agent in Charge David Nanz. “Protecting the American people from such extremists remains a top priority for the FBI and our team remains laser-focused on identifying, investigating, and disrupting individuals who cross the line from expressing protected speech to violating federal law.” “Any violent act like this is unacceptable. Worse here, is that this defendant used violence to target health care providers and their patients,” said ATF Director Steven Dettelbach. “I want to commend the ATF investigators, the prosecutors and our partners for taking action to protect the victims of this violent and potentially lethal arson.” “Our agents worked alongside our law enforcement partners to ensure the defendant was held accountable for this arson,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon of the Chicago Field Division. “I commend the coordination and commitment in both investigating and prosecuting this important case.” “Massengill’s criminal activity was destructive in many ways – not just physically but emotionally for those that count on Planned Parenthood for their healthcare needs,” said Peoria Police Chief Eric Echevarria. “I am proud of the work our officers, detectives, and federal partners did to arrest the perpetrator of this horrible crime and bring justice to all those it affected.” The FBI Springfield Field Office, Peoria Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case, with assistance from the Peoria Fire Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Hanna for the Central District of Illinois prosecuted the case with assistance from Trial Attorney Erin Monju of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section. Anyone who has information about incidents of violence, threats and obstruction that target a patient or provider of reproductive health services, or damage and destruction of reproductive health care facilities, should report that information to the FBI at www.tips.fbi.gov . For more information about clinic violence, and the Justice Department’s related enforcement efforts, please visit www.justice.gov/crt/national-task-force-violence-against-reproductive-health-care-providers .


title: Wilkinsburg Resident Pleads Guilty and Is Sentenced for Violating Federal Firearm Laws

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty and was sentenced in federal court in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal firearm laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. The one-count Indictment named Gregory Brown, age 38, as the sole defendant. According to the information presented to the Court, on September 27, 2021, Brown was found to be in possession of an Astra .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol and ammunition. Due to a prior felony conviction, Brown is not permitted to possess a firearm or ammunition. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than ten (10) years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000, or a combination thereof. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan sentenced Brown to a term of imprisonment of time served, or approximately four months. Assistant United States Attorney Carl J. Spindler prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the investigation in this case along with the Wilkinsburg Police Department.


title: Corinna Counselor Pleads Guilty to Defrauding MaineCare Using Falsified Treatment Records

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A Corinna woman pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Bangor today to false statements involving a health care benefit program. According to court records, between April and December 2020, April McKinney, known professionally as April Taylor , 46, falsified appointment details and session notes in therapy service records. McKinney used the falsified records to bill and receive funds from MaineCare. MaineCare is funded primarily by the federal government which pays approximately two-thirds of all reimbursed claims. The deceitful act of submitting falsified information led to the misuse of taxpayer dollars through reimbursements higher than warranted by any actual patient care given. McKinney faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. The FBI investigated the case. ###


title: Man Claiming to be with U.S. Army Delta Force Charged with Fraud

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: AUSTIN – A federal grand jury in Austin returned an indictment today charging a Manor man with wire fraud. According to court documents, Saint Jovite Youngblood, aka Kota Youngblood, 51, allegedly committed wire fraud against his victims by claiming Mexican drug cartel members were planning to commit violence against them. Youngblood falsely claimed to be part of the elite U.S. Army’s Delta Force and offered protection to his victims from the cartels in exchange for money. Youngblood also represented that funds obtained from his victim “investors” would be paid back with a significant return on the money. Instead, Youngblood allegedly used most of the money on junkets to Las Vegas to gamble in casinos. Youngblood is charged with two counts of wire fraud and one count of engaging in a monetary transaction in criminally derived property. He was arrested on a sealed complaint on July 31, and had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan Hightower of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. Youngblood has remained in custody since his arrest. If convicted, he faces up to 40 years in prison on each of the wire fraud charges and up to 10 years in prison on the monetary transaction charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and FBI Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich Jr. made the announcement. The FBI is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel D. Guess and Matt Harding 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: Business Owner Pleads Guilty To Tax Charge

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Julie Dotton, 51, of Orchard Park, NY, pleaded guilty to willful failure to truthfully account for and pay over employment taxes before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell T. Ippolito, Jr., who is handling the case, stated that Dotton was the President, CEO, and majority shareholder of Applied Sciences Group (ASG), a technology business that largely developed software. She was also the founding partner of the partnership KRP Holdings (KRP). By law, businesses must account for income tax, social security tax, and a hospital insurance (Medicare) tax in the wages of individual employees, equal to a percentage of the wages earned by the employee. These taxes are commonly referred to as “trust fund taxes” because employers hold these taxes in trust for the government. For all of 2018 and three quarters of 2019, Dotton failed to pay over the trust fund taxes to the IRS on behalf of the employees of ASG and KRP, resulting in a loss of approximately $1,100,837 to IRS. Dotton also admitted that she obtained a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan from the federal government in the amount of $117,277, to which she was not entitled. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent-In-Charge Thomas Fattorusso. Sentencing is scheduled for December 20, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. before Judge Sinatra. # # # #


title: North Tonawanda Man Pleads Guilty To Receipt Of Child Pornography

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Michael Angstenberger, 48, of North Tonawanda, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to receipt of child pornography. The charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly, who is handling the case, stated that Angstenberger created and used a Snapchat account with the username “catybug1234,” to communicate with, and obtain sexually explicit images from, minor girls. When doing so, he posed as a minor girl. Angstenberger communicated with minor victims in other states and countries. For example, Angstenberger communicated with a victim located in Kentucky (Victim 1), who was 12 years old. On December 5, 2021, Angstenberger asked Victim 1 to send him sexually explicit photos, which she did. Angstenberger communicated with a second victim located in Arkansas (Victim 2), who was approximately 11-12 years old. Victim 2 also sent sexually explicit photos as Angstenberger’s request. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Sentencing is scheduled for December 1, 2023, before Judge Arcara. # # # #


title: Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Tevon O'Shea Vanhorn, also known as "Von," 28, of Columbus, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, from at least June 2022 to on or about March 2023, Vanhorn obtained methamphetamine and fentanyl and distributed quantities of the controlled substances to several customers at multiple locations within the Southern District of West Virginia. Vanhorn communicated with his customers by cell phone to arrange drug-related transactions, and knew that several of his customers redistributed the methamphetamine and fentanyl he sold them. On February 21, 2022, Vanhorn attempted to mail a package containing approximately $74,835 from Charleston, West Virginia, to Detroit, Michigan, as part of the drug distribution conspiracy. Law enforcement officers intercepted and seized the package. Vanhorn is scheduled to be sentenced on January 11, 2024, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, five years of supervised release, and a $10 million fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Route 119 Drug Task Force, the West Virginia State Police, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan A. Keefe and J.C. MacCallum are prosecuting the case. The case is a result of “Operation Into The Woods,” a 10-month investigation of drug trafficking in Kanawha and Boone counties. Vanhorn and several other individuals have been indicted including Toby Lee Graley, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl on August 1, 2023 and is awaiting sentencing. Law enforcement seized 120 grams of methamphetamine, four shotguns, and approximately $23,150 from Graley when he was arrested. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States. 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-44. ###


title: Individual Pleads Guilty to False Identity Crime

body_text: BOSTON – An individual pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston in connection with fraudulently using the identity of a U.S. citizen. Alexander Villalona Diaz, 37, previously of Lawrence, pleaded guilty to one count of false representation of a Social Security number and one count of aggravated identity theft. U.S. Senior District Judge Mark L. Wolf scheduled sentencing for Dec. 4, 2023. In December 2020, Villalona Diaz was indicted by a federal grand jury. Villalona Diaz fraudulently used a Social Security number that was not his when applying for a renewal of a driver’s license with the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles in 2016. The charge of false representation of a Social Security number provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory sentence of two years in prison to be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), a specialized investigative group comprising personnel from various state, local, and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring, and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity, and benefit fraud schemes. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations, in New England; Sharon MacDermott, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division; Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, in New England; Christina Scaringi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Regional Office; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; Jonathan Davidson, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; John E. Mawn, Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Massachusetts State Auditor Diana DiZoglio made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam W. Deitch of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.