title: Rio Rico Man Sentenced to 40 Months in Prison for Transporting Illegal Aliens for Profit

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Jesus Moises Ruiz, Jr., 34, of Rio Rico, was sentenced on November 9, 2023, by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash to 40 months in prison. Ruiz pleaded guilty on August 31, 2023, to one count of Transportation of Illegal Aliens for Profit. On February 20, 2023, United States Border Patrol agents pursued Ruiz while he was traveling on State Route 90, driving a grey Chevrolet pickup truck. Ruiz accelerated to a high rate of speed and eventually merged onto Interstate-10 (I-10). Ruiz exited I-10 and was located by agents with the assistance of air support. After a lengthy pursuit, agents were able to apprehend him. Five undocumented noncitizens exited Ruiz’s vehicle during the pursuit and were later found by agents. Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol Agents-Sonoita Station and Homeland Security Investigations-Nogales conducted the investigation in this case. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Chamblee, United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson. CASE NUMBER: CR-23-00385-SHR-1 RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-186_Ruiz # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Statement on the Arrest of Néstor Isidro Pérez Salas

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: The Justice Department issued the following statement from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on the arrest of Néstor Isidro Pérez Salas, also known as “El Nini,” by Mexican authorities: “Yesterday, Mexican authorities arrested Néstor Isidro Pérez Salas, also known as ‘El Nini,’ who we allege is one of the Sinaloa Cartel’s lead sicarios, or assassins. Until his apprehension, El Nini led security operations for the Chapitos and we allege that he and his security forces murdered, tortured, and kidnapped rivals, witnesses, and others who opposed the Chapitos. Shortly after the apprehension of El Nini, I spoke with Mexican Attorney General Gertz to thank him for the extraordinary efforts of the Mexican authorities who made the arrest, and to whom we are all grateful for their courage. We are now seeking El Nini’s swift extradition from Mexico to face justice here in the United States. Last month, in a meeting in Mexico City, I thanked our Mexican government and law enforcement counterparts for the extradition of Ovidio Guzman Lopez, a leader of the Sinaloa Cartel and one of more than a dozen cartel leaders we have indicted who have been extradited to the United States. Earlier this year, I announced charges against 23 leaders, members, and associates of the Sinaloa Cartel. Those charges reflect the aggressive approach the Justice Department is taking to disrupting and dismantling the Sinaloa Cartel, an organization responsible for operating one of the deadliest and most prolific drug trafficking operations in the world. Among those we charged are the cartel’s drug traffickers, their money launderers, their manufacturers, their chemical suppliers, and their leaders — as well as their security forces, which engage in horrific and brutal violence. The Justice Department is grateful to our Mexican counterparts for their work in that effort, and we remain committed to doing everything in our power to dismantle the dangerous drug trafficking cartels that are responsible for death and devastation in both the United States and Mexico.”


title: Cody man arraigned for unlawful possession of ammunition

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Adam Shane Aviles, Jr., age 26, of Cody, Wyoming, was arraigned on Nov. 21 for being a felon in possession of ammunition. Aviles pleaded not guilty. A trial has been set for Jan. 22, 2024, before U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson. Aviles was detained at the request of the government and will remain in custody pending trial. If convicted, Aviles faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment with three years of supervised release and up to a $250,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. This crime is being investigated by the Park County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Hammer. An indictment merely contains allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Montgomery County Felon Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Conspiracy and Firearm Offense

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Bernardo Tovar, age 34, of Amsterdam, New York, pled guilty today to a drug trafficking conspiracy, possessing and intending to distribute fentanyl pills, cocaine and methamphetamine, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division; and John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement. Tovar admitted that from May 2022 to December 2022, he conspired to distribute counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, as well as cocaine and methamphetamine. Tovar admitted that the combined amount of fentanyl that he distributed exceeded 160 grams. Tovar, who has a prior violent felony conviction for attempted robbery, also admitted to possessing fentanyl pills, cocaine and methamphetamine, as well as a loaded handgun in his apartment to protect his drugs and drug proceeds, on December 7, 2022, when his apartment was searched. Sentencing is scheduled for March 20, 2024, before Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes, at which time Tovar faces at least 15 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $8 million, and a term of supervised release of at least 8 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. The DEA and ATF investigated this case, and Assistant United States Attorney Alexander P. Wentworth-Ping is prosecuting the case.


title: Bulgarian Citizen Pleads Guilty to International Money Laundering and Fraud Scheme

body_text: PLATTSBURGH, NEW YORK – Stefan Chernev, age 49, and a citizen of Bulgaria, pled guilty today to conspiracy to commit international money laundering. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement. Chernev admitted that he worked with his brother, Ivan Chernev, and a third coconspirator to form shell companies, most of which had a variation of “Yellow Pages” in their name. From about 2011 to 2015, Stefan Chernev, Ivan Chernev, and the third coconspirator used the shell companies to steal money from medical providers, churches and small businesses throughout the United States, including some in the Northern District of New York, by sending false invoices to the victims indicating they had ordered online advertising services when no such services had ever been ordered or provided. When the victims failed to pay the false bills, Stefan Chernev and his coconspirators sent them false collections notices. They instructed the victims to mail checks to various Post Office Boxes throughout the United States that Stefan Chernev and his coconspirators rented. They then instructed the mail forwarding companies where they rented the Post Office Boxes to forward the checks to Post Office Boxes in Canada or mail forwarding businesses near the Canadian border in the Northern District of New York. Once Stefan Chernev, Ivan Chernev and the third coconspirator received the checks, they deposited the checks in bank accounts they controlled in Canada. In total, they stole at least $1.24 million from victims throughout the United States. Chernev faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years, when he is sentenced on March 25, 2024 by Senior United States District Judge Frederick J. Scullin, Jr. Chernev will also be ordered to pay restitution to his victims. Ivan Chernev pled guilty to the same charge and was sentenced, on December 3, 2020, to 68 months in prison . USPIS, HSI, and the Federal Trade Commission investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Kopita and Alexander Wentworth-Ping are prosecuting the case. Stefan Chernev was extradited from Germany to the United States in May 2022 with assistance from the Department of Justice Office of International Affairs.


title: Atlanta man sentenced for stealing identities to file false unemployment claims

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA - Jeremy Graves has been sentenced for theft of government funds and aggravated identity theft for stealing identities to file fraudulent Unemployment Insurance (“UI”) claims during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Congress enacted the CARES Act to provide federal funds to assist unemployed workers during a national emergency,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Graves defrauded this critical program and stole the identities of others to perpetrate the crime. Our office will continue to partner closely with federal, state, and local investigators to prosecute individuals who commit benefits fraud at the expense of citizens for whom this support is essential.” “Jeremy Graves defrauded multiple state unemployment insurance (UI) systems by using the personally identifying information (PII) of identity theft victims, including the PII of deceased individuals, to submit fraudulent UI claims. DOL-OIG will continue to work with our federal and state partners to protect the integrity of UI benefit programs,” said Mathew Broadhurst, Special Agent-in-Charge, Southeast Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: During the period from about July 2020 until October 2020, Graves filed approximately 39 UI applications, using 37 different stolen identities, in the states of Georgia, Arizona, California, Maryland, and Nevada. He directed payment of the benefits to designated debit cards. To conceal his identity, he directed the debit cards to be sent to various addresses around the Atlanta area, all near or close by his residence. He then fraudulently received more than $200,000 in UI benefits from the states of Georgia and California. Graves’s scheme unraveled when the Department of Labor, the agency who oversees the UI program, determined that multiple applications in multiple states had been filed from Graves’s residence. Graves had contacted a bank about multiple UI debit cards issued to multiple individuals. A search of Graves’s cell phone revealed a search history for “unemployment fraud,” “California unemployment,” and several of the addresses where he directed the debit cards be sent. Jeremy Graves, 39, of Atlanta, Georgia, has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Geraghty to three years, eleven months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $209,214 in restitution; $193,179 to Georgia Department of Labor and $16,035 to California EDD. Graves was convicted on the charges on August 23, 2023, after he pleaded guilty. This case was investigated by the Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane C. Schulman prosecuted the case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Pulaski County Man Indicted for Cyber Intrusion, Identity Theft, and Bank Fraud

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LONDON, Ky. - A Somerset, Ky., man, Jesse Kipf, 38, has been indicted by a federal grand jury sitting in London, on five counts of computer fraud, three counts of aggravated identity theft, and two counts of making false statements on applications in connection with federally insured financial institutions. The indictment alleges that Kipf intentionally accessed a computer without authorization and then obtained information from a protected computer for his own private gain and in furtherance of identity theft. According to the indictment, Kipf illegally accessed the following websites: State of Arizona, State of Hawaii, GuestTek Interactive Entertainment, Ltd., State of Vermont, and Milestone, Inc. GuestTek Interactive Entertainment and Milestone are vendors of large hotel chains; but at this time, investigators have no evidence that hotel customer personal identifying information was compromised. The indictment also alleges that Kipf knowingly and unlawfully used the identification of three different persons to commit wire fraud and computer fraud. Kipf is also alleged to have made false statements to federally insured corporations, in order to open credit accounts. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael E. Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Louisville Field Division; Daniel Cameron, Attorney General of Kentucky; Anna E. Lopez, Attorney General for Hawaii; and Bobby Jones, Pulaski County Sheriff, jointly announced the indictment. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by FBI Louisville, Kentucky Attorney General’s Office, Department of the Attorney General for Hawaii, and the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office. The indictment was presented to the grand jury by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Dieruf. Kipf appeared for his initial appearance on November 9, 2023, and a jury trial is currently set for January 17, 2024, at 8:30 a.m., in London. For each of the computer fraud charges, Kipf faces up to five years in prison; for each of the identity theft charges, he faces up to two years in prison; and for the bank fraud charges, he faces a maximum of 30 years in prison. However, any sentence following a conviction would be imposed by the Court, after its consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes. Individuals believing they may be victims of the cyber intrusion scheme described herein are encouraged to visit the following website to obtain more information: https://justice.gov/usao-edky/information-victims-large-cases . Tips on how to protect yourself and your personal information against cybercrime can be found by clicking here and on the FBI Cyber Division’s website. Any indictment is an accusation only. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. — END —


title: Muskegon Man Sentenced To 188 Months In Federal Prison For Repeatedly Possessing Firearms

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Dareese Devon Hewlett, 41, of Muskegon, was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison after being convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm. “Mr. Hewlett is a serial offender who had demonstrated blatant disrespect for the law,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten . “My office is committed to ridding our streets of guns in the hands of felons and illegal “switches” that pose grave danger to our communities by converting a firearm into a fully automatic machinegun.” Police caught Hewlett, a felon, with guns on three occasions. During the first incident, he shot at a man at a Muskegon memorial celebration. Police subsequently recovered the gun from Hewlett’s hotel room. There was a conversion device, or switch, attached, making the gun a fully automatic machinegun. Police found a second gun at defendant’s house. Two months later, police found another gun and a bulletproof vest at Hewlett’s home. Hewlett’s sentence was increased pursuant to the Armed Career Criminal Act because he is a repeat offender. The Act provides for enhanced penalties for those who possess a firearm after being convicted of three or more serious drug offenses. Hewlett had previously been convicted of offenses involving the trafficking of narcotics; those offenses occurred in September 2010, June 2016, and April 2017. “Fostering cooperation by local, state, and federal agencies is paramount to develop and implement strategic approaches to reduce violent crime, particularly gun crimes,” said Muskegon Police Chief Timothy Kozal . “The City of Muskegon Police Department will continue to diligently investigate every violent crime, taking every opportunity to collaborate with our partner agencies to prosecute violent, serial offenders like Mr. Hewlett.” This case was investigated by the Muskegon Police Department, the Muskegon Heights Police Department, Michigan State Police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. ###


title: Federal Jury Finds 2 Members of Violent Bridgeport Gang Guilty of Racketeering Offenses

body_text: A federal jury in Bridgeport has found JOSHUA GILBERT, also known as “Lor Heavy,” 22, and LORENZO CARTER, also known as “Zo,” 29, guilty of racketeering offenses related to their involvement in a violent Bridgeport street gang. The trial before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley began on October 18 and the jury returned the guilty verdicts yesterday. Today’s announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Joseph T. Corradino, State’s Attorney for the Fairfield Judicial District; Bridgeport Police Chief Roderick Porter; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Acting U.S. Marshal Lawrence Bobnick. According to court documents and the evidence presented during the trial, the FBI, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Connecticut State Police and Bridgeport Police have been investigating multiple Bridgeport-based gangs whose members are involved in narcotics trafficking, murder and other acts of violence. Gilbert and Carter were members of the Original North End (“O.N.E.”), a gang based in the Trumbull Gardens area of Bridgeport that committed acts of violence against rival gangs. O.N.E. members also robbed drug dealers, customers and others, sold narcotics, and stole cars from inside and outside Connecticut, often using the cars to commit crimes. They frequently used social media to promote and coordinate their criminal activities. On August 9, 2018, O.N.E. members stole a Jeep Grand Cherokee in Newburgh, New York, and drove it back to Bridgeport. In the following days, O.N.E. members conspired to use the car to kill rival gang members and their allies who they had learned through social media were at a deli on Stratford Avenue in Bridgeport. Although that plan fell through, in the early morning hours of August 13, 2018, Carter and other O.N.E. members drove the stolen Jeep to Stratford and Union Avenues in Bridgeport where they shot and killed Len Smith, 25, who they mistook for a rival gang member, and shot and seriously wounded Smith’s female companion, both of whom were seated in a parked car. After the shooting, Carter and other O.N.E. members transported the Jeep to Indian Well State Park in Shelton where they burned the vehicle in an effort to destroy evidence of the murder. In November 2019, O.N.E. members stole a Lexus Rx350 from Rye, New York. In early December 2019, O.N.E. members were involved in multiple shots-fired incidents in Bridgeport. In one incident, the mother of rival gang members was shot outside of her Bridgeport home. In another incident, on December 8, 2019, O.N.E. members used the stolen Lexus in a shooting incident at the P.T. Barnum Housing Complex, damaging several cars, and then drove it to Newfield Avenue in Bridgeport where Gilbert and other O.N.E. members shot and killed Ty’Quess Moore, also known as “Breezo,” 18. Gilbert and Carter, along with other O.N.E. members, posted videos to social media in which they and others brandished firearms, celebrated violent gang culture, and referenced rivals who were killed. The jury found Gilbert and Carter guilty of racketeering conspiracy. At sentencing, which is not scheduled, they each faces a maximum term of imprisonment of life. Gilbert and Carter have been detained since July 2021. This investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Safe Streets and Violent Crimes Task Forces, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Bridgeport Police Department, Connecticut State Police and the Bridgeport State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory, and the police departments from Norwalk, Stamford, Fairfield, Stratford, Ansonia, Monroe, Eastchester (N.Y.), Rye (N.Y.), and Newburgh (N.Y.). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen L. Peck, Tara E. Levens, and Patrick J. Doherty. This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs. PSN is 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. Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it. If a group member elects to engage in gun violence, the focused attention of federal, state, and local law enforcement will be directed at that entire group. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.


title: Luzerne County Man Pleads Guilty To Committing Four Bank Robberies

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Damen Drakeford, age 30, of Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, pleaded guilty on November 21, 2023, before United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, to committing multiple bank robberies. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Drakeford admitted to committing four bank robberies, in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, in July 2023. Specifically, Drakeford admitted to robbing the following institutions: - Fulton Bank, Netcong, New Jersey, on July 7, 2023; - Provident Bank, Fair Lawn, New Jersey, on July 11, 2023; - Fidelity Bank, Upper Mount Bethel Township, Pennsylvania, on July 11, 2023; and - M&T Bank, Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, on July 14, 2023. A total of $32,988 was taken in the robberies. After the M&T Bank robbery, Drakeford was apprehended by members of the Pennsylvania State Police and the Stroud Area Regional Police Department, after he led the police on a high-speed vehicle chase, crashed his vehicle, and ran into the nearby woods where he was arrested by the police. The charges against the defendant resulted from an investigation conducted by the Stroud Area Regional Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force. Members of the Fair Lawn and Netcong Police Departments in New Jersey, and the New Jersey State Police, also assisted with the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case. This case is also 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. Under federal law, for each of the robberies, Drakeford faces a maximum sentence of up to twenty years in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. ###


title: Lansing Man Charged With Felon In Possession

body_text: Two-year-old child died after accidental discharge of gun GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Avis Damone Coward has been charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The complaint alleges that an accidental discharge of Coward’s gun led to a two-year-old child’s death. “Death of child by gunfire is a story that should never be written,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten . “Yet beginning in 2022, and for the first time ever, gun violence has become the number one cause of death for kids in America. As this swelling epidemic reaches our most innocent, my office will use every resource available to secure full accountability and prevent future harm.” When Coward returned to the car, he picked up the gun and put it back in the car. A copy of the complaint is attached. “This case is a parent’s worst nightmare. It’s heartbreaking and reinforces the importance of responsible gun ownership and safety storage,” said Detroit Field Division Special Agent in Charge James Deir. "A child should never be left alone with a gun. Leaving the gun at home in a secure gun safe or using a safety device, such as a gun lock, prevent tragedies like this. If you need a free gun lock or want additional information on secure firearm storage, contact the ATF Detroit Field Division.” “I would like to thank U.S. Attorney Mark Totten and his team for standing firm on gun crime by charging Avis Coward for his role in the shooting death of a two-year-old in Lansing at a gas station in October,” said Lansing Police Chief Ellery Sosebee . “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan, Ingham County Prosecutor John Dewane, and the Lansing Police Department stand united in the effort to hold accountable those who commit gun crimes.” This case was investigated by the Lansing Police Department, Michigan State Police, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. The charges in a complaint are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law. Complaint ###


title: Reading Man Sentenced To 14 Years’ Imprisonment For Drug Trafficking And Firearms Offenses

body_text: SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that John Fidanqui-Marten, age 21, formerly of Reading, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion to serve 14 years’ imprisonment to be followed by five years’ supervised released based upon his previously entered guilty plea to distributing five grams or more of methamphetamine and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. In addition, he was ordered to pay $3,500 in restitution, as well as a $300 special assessment. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Fidanqui-Marten engaged in the large-scale distribution of methamphetamine in 2020. During the course of a drug sale for one pound of methamphetamine in September 2020, he and co-defendant Damar Coad pointed handguns at an undercover police officer and robbed him of $7,500. When the police attempted to apprehend Fidanqui-Marten and Coad, a high-speed car chase ensued and Fidanqui-Marten drove into a ditch and was apprehended in possession of a .9mm handgun and $4,000 of the buy money used to purchase the drugs. Coad was sentenced on July 18, 2023, to seven years’ imprisonment to be followed by three years’ supervised release. 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. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Pennsylvania State Police and was prosecuted by former Assistant U.S. Attorney Johnny Baer and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce D. Brandler. # # #


title: Drug Dealer Sentenced to Six Years After Fentanyl Pills Caused the Death of an Arizona Teen

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Michael Fox, 29, of Tucson, was sentenced on Monday by United States District Judge G. Murray Snow to 72 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Fox was indicted by a grand jury on September 28, 2021, and pleaded guilty to Distribution of Fentanyl on April 6, 2023. On June 29, 2019, Fox sold three fentanyl pills to a 16-year-old female in Glendale. Within approximately one hour, the victim was found unconscious and not breathing. The victim was rushed to the hospital, but she never recovered and was pronounced dead on July 1, 2019. A Maricopa County Medical Examiner determined the cause of death was cardiac arrest related to a fentanyl drug overdose. The United States Attorney’s Office sought a sentencing enhancement in the case to account for the death of the victim. The District Court held a two-day evidentiary hearing on October 10, 2023, and November 14, 2023, to present testimony and argument on the enhancement. The Court took statements from the victim’s family, several supporters of Mr. Fox, and argument from the attorneys. The District Court ruled for the United States finding that the fentanyl pills that Fox sold to the victim caused her death. “This is not the first time we’ve held a fentanyl dealer responsible for a poisoning death under our federal sentencing laws and the federal sentencing guidelines,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “But it’s the first time we’ve had a lengthy evidentiary hearing with scientific testimony on fentanyl as part of the sentencing. We appreciate our partnership with the DEA in helping provide a strong message of deterrence, and we particularly thank the victim’s family for their support of the prosecution and their patience waiting for its outcome.” The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan McCarthy, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-21-00784-GMS-PHX RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-184_Fox # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Two Connecticut Men Arrested for Drug Offenses; Fentanyl and Cocaine Seized

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Brendan Salmon, 30, also known as “Nice,” of Hartford, Connecticut, and Lincoln Anthony Robinson, Jr., 28, of Windsor, Connecticut, were arrested on Thursday, November 16, 2023 in Hardwick, Vermont. Salmon was charged by criminal complaint with distributing fentanyl on five different occasions, as well as aiding and abetting possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Robinson was charged by criminal complaint with one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Both men appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle on November 18. Salmon was detained pending further proceedings; his next court appearance is currently set for December 1, 2023, at 10:30 a.m. before Magistrate Judge Doyle. Robinson was released on conditions. According to court records, Salmon is alleged to have distributed fentanyl at various locations in Lamoille and Caledonia counties on multiple occasions in 2022 and 2023. Salmon is also alleged to have directed a shipment of drugs into Vermont from Connecticut containing approximately 670 grams of fentanyl, 570 grams of powder cocaine, and 160 grams of crack cocaine, which police intercepted and seized on September 25, 2023. Robinson is alleged to have been in possession of approximately 85 grams of crack cocaine in the residence where both men were arrested. While searching the residence on November 16, law enforcement also recovered approximately 350 grams of suspected powder cocaine, approximately 270 grams of suspected crack cocaine, approximately 500 glassine bags of suspected fentanyl, approximately 100 counterfeit Xanax, a Glock 9mm pistol with two magazines of ammunition, an armored vest, and approximately $11,875 in U.S. currency. The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that criminal complaints contain only allegations and both Salmon and Robinson remain presumed innocent until and unless they are convicted of a crime. Each of the six counts Salmon faces carries a maximum penalty of 20 years of imprisonment. The single count Robinson faces carries a maximum penalty of 20 years of imprisonment. United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Morristown Police Department, the Vermont State Police Narcotics Investigation Unit, the Lamoille County Sheriff’s Office, the Stowe Police Department, and the Hardwick Police Department. The prosecutors are Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Van de Graaf and Ray Sun. Salmon is represented by Richard Goldsborough, Esq. Robinson is represented by Robert Behrens, Esq.


title: Man Pleads Guilty to Counterfeiting U.S. Currency

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Dominican man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to his role in a conspiracy in which he sold nearly $150,000 in counterfeit U.S. currency. Maximo Morillo, 64, pleaded guilty to three counts of counterfeiting U.S. currency outside of the U.S. and one count of conspiracy. U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs scheduled sentencing for Feb. 13, 2024. Morillo was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2019 along with co-conspirator Ruben Diario Diaz Sanchez. According to the charging documents, in or about October 2014, Diaz Sanchez, who resided in the Dominican Republic, allegedly solicited an individual in the United States to purchase and smuggle counterfeit U.S. Currency into the United States. Morillo served as the point of contact with a printer manufacturing the counterfeit U.S. Currency in the Dominican Republic. Between May 2015 and January 2016, in the Dominican Republic, Morillo and, allegedly, Diaz Sanchez arranged three sales of counterfeit $100 bills for a total face value of $149,900. The charges of counterfeiting U.S. currency outside of the U.S. each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison on each of the three counts of five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: United States Files Forfeiture Action to Recover Cryptocurrency Traceable to Fraud Scheme

body_text: BOSTON – The United States Attorney’s Office filed a civil forfeiture action to recover cryptocurrency alleged to be proceeds of a “pig-butchering” fraud scheme targeting Massachusetts residents and involved in money laundering. Specifically, the government seeks to forfeit 204,315.87 Tether (USDT) and 18.9649 bitcoin (BTC) seized from two accounts located at Binance.com, a cryptocurrency exchange and custodian. Collectively, this cryptocurrency has a current estimated value of approximately $900,000. In September 2022, an investigation began into a pig-butchering scheme targeting a Massachusetts resident. In a pig-butchering scheme, scammers obtain funds from victims using manipulative tactics. The scammer establishes a level of trust with a victim in online communications and then entices the victim into investing in a fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme. Often the victim is enticed to make additional payments before realizing they are a victim of fraud. As alleged in court documents, after targeting a Massachusetts victim and fostering an online relationship, scammers claiming to have access to profitable investment opportunities, induced the victim to invest personal funds into a fake cryptocurrency investment platform. During the investigation additional victims of the pig-butchering scheme were identified. Law enforcement traced cryptocurrency involved in the fraud and money laundering schemes to two Binance accounts, where it was seized. It is a violation of federal law to use wire communications as part of a scheme to defraud or to obtain money or property by means of false or fraudulent pretenses. It is also a violation of federal law to conduct, or attempt to conduct, a financial transaction involving property which is known to represent the proceeds of some form of unlawful activity, knowing that such transaction is designed to conceal or disguise the nature, location, source, ownership, or control of those proceeds of unlawful activity. The complaint alleges that the cryptocurrency is traceable to proceeds of wire fraud and was involved in money laundering. A civil forfeiture action allows third parties to assert claims to property, which must be resolved before the property can be forfeited to the United States and returned to victims. This is one of several civil forfeiture actions the U.S. Attorney’s Office has filed seeking to forfeit cryptocurrency traced to fraud schemes targeting Massachusetts victims. Members of the public who believe they are victims of a cybercrime – including cryptocurrency scams, romance scams, investment scams and pig-butchering fraud scams – should contact USAMA.CyberTip@usdoj.gov . Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Andrew Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. The civil forfeiture action is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Raquelle L. Kaye of the Asset Recovery Unit. The details contained in the civil forfeiture complaint are allegations. The United States Attorney’s Office has not filed a corresponding criminal action on the matter.


title: Boston Man Sentenced for Distributing 7,000 Pills Containing Fentanyl and Fentanyl Analogue

body_text: BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced yesterday for a drug distribution offense involving fentanyl and a fentanyl analogue known as para-fluorofentanyl. Melvin Cordero, 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 37 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On May 10, 2023, Cordero pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and p-fluorofentanyl. On March 15, 2022, Cordero delivered 7,000 pills containing fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl to an individual who was cooperating with law enforcement. The buy was part of a broader investigation into a drug-trafficking organization based in the Dominican Republic. Cordero delivered the pills to the cooperator in Boston’s South End and was arrested and charged in November 2022. Following Cordero’s arrest, law enforcement seized from him a machine used for manufacturing counterfeit pills that he had attempted to sell to an undercover officer. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the DEA New York Field Office, the Boston Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Worcester Man Sentenced for Drug Offense and Wire Fraud

body_text: BOSTON – A Worcester man was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester for possessing cocaine intended for distribution and wire fraud with respect to COVID-19 relief programs. Augustus “Bobo” Kormah, 33, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 131 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Kormah was also ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture of $258,705. In June 2023, Kormah pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and two counts of wire fraud. On Sept. 11, 2020, Kormah was arrested following a suspected drug transaction. Following his arrest, a search of Kormah’s apartment resulted in the seizure of approximately 26 grams of cocaine, an un-serialized Polymer 80 9mm firearm and a black magazine loaded with 30 9mm cartridges. A subsequent investigation revealed that, between approximately May and October 2020, Kormah used the personal identifying information of over 50 individuals to submit approximately 125 fraudulent claims for COVID-19 unemployment benefits as well as 15 fraudulent claims for COVID-19 small business loans. As a result of the fraud scheme, Kormah obtained approximately $100,000 in fraudulent unemployment benefits and approximately $170,000 in fraudulent small business loans. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Andrew Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Boston Field Office; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and Worcester Police Chief Paul B. Saucier made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lucy Sun of the Criminal Division and Danial Bennett of the Worcester Branch Office 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: Lawrence Man Sentenced to Over Five Years in Prison for Fentanyl Trafficking Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – A Lawrence man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his role in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy. Eddy Reyes Tejada, 51, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 70 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In July 2023, Tejada pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl; and one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Tejada was indicted by a federal grand jury along with Francis Manuel Santos Arias in December 2022. On Oct. 27, 2023, Arias pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and two counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 31, 2024. In January 2022, law enforcement received information that Tejada and Arias were looking for customers to whom they could distribute cocaine and fentanyl in the greater Boston and Lawrence areas. During the investigation, Tejada distributed a total of approximately 3.5 kilograms of fentanyl to a cooperating witness over the course of seven controlled purchases. Additionally, a search of Tejada’s Lawrence supermarket in December 2022 resulted in the recovery of over 1.572 kilograms of fentanyl, as well as drug trafficking paraphernalia including multiple press components, a blender and a digital scale. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and John E. Mawn, Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Fitchburg and Lunenburg Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea Porter of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Indictments Charge 4 Waterbury Men with Firearm and Related Offenses

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, and Waterbury Police Chief Fernando C. Spagnolo today announced that as part of a coordinated law enforcement effort to address an uptick in gun violence in Waterbury, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has adopted for federal prosecution the state cases of four Waterbury men charged with gun crimes. On October 24, 2023, a federal grand jury in New Haven returned the following indictments: ANFERNEE D. DANCY , 27, of Waterbury, is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. As alleged in the indictment, on August 22, 2023, Dancy possessed a Jimenez Arms, Inc. 9mm handgun. It is further alleged that Dancy’s criminal history includes felony convictions in Connecticut for burglary in the first degree, risk of injury to a child, and failure to appear in the first degree. ALEXIS JOEL ANGUEIRA, 23, of Waterbury, is charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, and unlawful possession of ammunition by a felon. It is alleged that, on September 15, 2022, Angueira possessed fentanyl and cocaine that he intended to distribute, a loaded privately made firearm (ghost gun), and additional rounds of ammunition. It is further alleged that Angueira’s criminal history includes felony convictions for assault in the first degree and carrying a pistol without a permit. MELQUAWN JAMISON , 25, of Waterbury, is charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. As alleged in the indictment, on August 23, 2023, Jamison possessed cocaine and fentanyl that he intended to distribute, a Ruger SR .45 caliber handgun, and a Glock 23 .40 caliber handgun. It is further alleged that Jamison’s criminal history includes felony convictions for sale of narcotics, escape in the first degree, burglary in the third degree, and larceny in the first degree. GLENN JAMISON , 42, of Waterbury, is charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. As alleged in the indictment, on July 24, 2023, Jamison possessed cocaine and fentanyl that he intended to distribute, and a Taurus Arms G2C handgun. It is further alleged that Jamison’s criminal history includes state convictions for felony firearm, drug, assault, larceny, escape, and failure to appear offenses; a federal conviction for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon; and that he was on federal supervised release at the time of this offense. Glenn Jamison appeared yesterday in Hartford federal court and pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. Dancy, Angueira, and Melquawn Jamison were previously arraigned and also pleaded not guilty. All four defendants are currently detained pending trial. U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. These cases are being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Waterbury Police Department. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean Mahard, Konstantin Lantsman, and Natasha Freismuth through 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: Border Enforcement Surge Yields Increased Consequences

number: 2023-185_Immigration Enforcement Surge

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona announced its ongoing cooperative efforts with the United States Border Patrol to enhance consequences for unlawful border crossers in the Tucson Sector. Last week, the agencies surged their efforts along the Southern Arizona border. As a result, the United States Attorney’s Office filed charges against and delivered consequences in the United States District Court, Tucson Division, to 133 unlawful entrants into the United States, up from 91 prosecutions the week before. “Prosecution – and the deterrence it provides – is a key tool in securing the border,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “We appreciate our partnership with the Department of Homeland Security, including its commitment in detailing three DHS lawyers to the United States Attorney’s Office as Special Assistant United States Attorneys to help staff the surge. While prosecution alone won’t comprehensively solve border issues, a surge in resources amplifies the diligence and hard work of our Border Patrol colleagues who are out there protecting our Nation.” “Over the last few weeks, Border Patrol agents in the Tucson Sector have increased prosecution efforts by charging 133 individuals for illegal entry into the U.S. – a 240% increase from prior weeks. These prosecutions provide consequences for illegal entry and re-entry after removal along the border in Southern Arizona,” said John Modlin, Chief Patrol Agent for Tucson Sector. “Our strong working relationship with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona is outstanding; they are fully engaged with our efforts to prosecute cross-border crime in Southern Arizona.” These statistics represent prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, and the numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials who were subjected solely to administrative proceedings. RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-185_Immigration Enforcement Surge # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Dorchester Man Arrested on Child Pornography Charges

body_text: BOSTON – A Dorchester man was arrested yesterday for receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) obtained via Zoom chat rooms. Beau Christopher Benson, 35, was charged with possession and receipt of child pornography. Following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston yesterday before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Donald L. Cabell, Benson was detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for 2 p.m. today. According to the charging documents, in April 2023, law enforcement was notified that Benson allegedly participated in Zoom video chat rooms used to share and view CSAM. It is alleged that Benson recorded his participation in the chat rooms and saved the recordings – which featured videos of CSAM and conversations between Benson and others about the CSAM – to his social media account. It is alleged that approximately 15 video files depicting CSAM were found saved in his Dropbox. It is further alleged that a cybertip identified Benson as an online user who had uploaded two files containing CSAM to a Dropbox account. Specifically, the files allegedly depicted children who appear to be approximately two to four years old. The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in federal prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of the Office’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Long Island Man Charged with Sexual Exploitation of Multiple Minor Girls

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, the defendant Brandon Kern was arraigned on an indictment charging him with five counts of sexual exploitation of minors and possession of child pornography. The defendant made his initial appearance before Magistrate Judge Lee Dunst in Central Islip where he was ordered detained. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the arrest and charges. “Posing as a teen on Snapchat, the defendant allegedly contacted at least six girls, some as young as twelve years old, and coerced them into sending him sexually explicit photos and videos, and when these girls attempted to block further contact with him, he threatened to expose and humiliate them to family and friends,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Minors should be free to use their phones without fear of victimization. Our Office will work tirelessly with our federal and local partners to find those who lurk in the shadows of cyberspace and prey on our children.” Mr. Peace praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and the North Olmstead, Ohio Police Department. Mr. Peace also expressed his thanks to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio. “Kern thought he could use technology to outsmart and abuse young girls. His alleged crimes were horrific and the FBI's Long Island Child Exploitation Task Force used every tool available to track him down and arrest him putting a stop to his heinous behavior. There could be more victims and the FBI wants parents or victims to contact law enforcement if they think anyone may have had contact with Kern,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Smith. As set forth in court filings, between December 2020 and October 2021, the defendant exploited numerous victims by forcing them to send him sexually explicit photographs and videos. Thus far, law enforcement has been able to identify six young girls. The defendant was caught when he traveled from Long Island to Ohio to have sex with one victim and threatened her when she got scared and refused to meet him. He was arrested leaving a hotel room with condoms, rope and lubricant. Subsequent searches of his social media accounts revealed contact with numerous other minor victims. The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . The government’s case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Alessi is in charge of the prosecution. The FBI has identified several Snapchat accounts through which the defendant communicated with potential victims. If parents believe their children have communicated with any of the below, they should contact the FBI by at tips.fbi.gov or 212-384-1000. Snapchat Accounts: bsublime10 bsublime11 bsublime12 bsublime20 bsublime28 bsublime31 bsublime33 punkygreen472 The Defendant : BRANDON THOMAS KERN Age: 29 Bayport, New York


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI Seeking to Identify Potential Victims in Connection with Online Child Exploitation Case

body_text: LAFAYETTE, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) are seeking to identify potential victims of an online child exploitation scheme which originated in Suffolk County, New York, and in Northwest Louisiana in 2022. The defendant in this investigation, Stephen Andrew Cipkin , has been charged by federal indictment with traveling to engage in illicit sexual activity, under 18 U.S.C. § 2423(b); production and receipt of child pornography, under 18 U.S.C. § 2252A(a)(2); possession of child pornography, under 18 U.S.C. § 2252A(a)(5)(B); and enticement of a minor, under 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b). The defendant may also be known by the following online usernames: “ sac8635 ,” “ ArabellaC. ,” “ Human no-more ,” “ numb little bug ,” “ Swiffer1 ,” “ @onlygoodguy ,” and “ Ur_Perfect_Daddy .” The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If you, your family member, or anyone that you know has had contact with this individual or any of the above-listed usernames while being tutored in Suffolk County, New York, or while using the online applications Snapchat, Pinterest, YesIChat, Y99, or Instagram between 2020 and 2023, and would like to report a crime, please contact the FBI via email at: CipkinVictim@fbi.gov . For additional resources and information, please visit: https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/safety-resources/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/sextortion . # # #


title: Multiple Project Safe Neighborhood Cases Prosecuted in Tallapoosa County

component: USAO - Alabama, Middle

body_text: Montgomery, Alabama – Today, Acting United States Attorney Jonathan S. Ross announced developments in multiple Project Safe Neighborhood cases arising out of Tallapoosa County. The Tallapoosa County Narcotics Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) played a pivotal role in the investigation of these cases. Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. In the first highlighted case, Alan Lyrenski Sandlin, 23, of Alexander City, Alabama, pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a machine gun in federal court. According to the plea agreement and other court records, in April 2023, law enforcement agents conducting a narcotics investigation arrested Sandlin at his residence. When searching the house, agents found a machine gun conversion device installed on a handgun. Machine gun conversion devices allow a firearm to operate as a fully automatic weapon, firing up to 20 rounds per second. These devices have grown in popularity over the past few years and pose a significant threat to communities. Sandlin entered his guilty plea on October 30, 2023. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 20, 2024. At that hearing, Sandlin will face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. There is no parole in the federal system. Additionally, on November 7, 2023, a federal judge sentenced 42-year-old Jeremy Glenn Dye , from Alexander City, Alabama, to 130 months in prison for possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony offense and for possessing a stolen firearm. Lastly, three Tallapoosa County residents were recently charged with federal firearm offenses. On November 1, 2023, a grand jury indicted Vincent Darrell Bias, 54, of Alexander City, Alabama, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Law enforcement arrested Bias on November 15, 2023. Previously, in June 2023, the same grand jury indicted 44-year-old Jeffery Monkentee Hill and 33-year-old Carstavious Shadon Stovall, both from Camp Hill, Alabama, on charges of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a controlled substance crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The Tallapoosa County Narcotics Task Force and the ATF investigated these cases, with assistance from the Alexander City Police Department, the Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Coosa County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Marshals Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Brandon W. Bates and Eric M. Counts are prosecuting the cases.


title: Campbell County Man Sentenced to 20 Years for  Distributing Fentanyl that Resulted in Death

body_text: COVINGTON, Ky. – An Alexandria, Ky., man, Charles Jason Case, 40, was sentenced on Wednesday, to 240 months in prison, by U.S. District Judge David Bunning, for distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. According to Case’s plea agreement, law enforcement responded to an address in Campbell County on April 28, 2022, and found a deceased victim and evidence consistent with death from an opiate overdose. Text messages on the victim’s phone revealed communication with Case the previous night regarding purchasing fentanyl, and the phone also contained communications consistent with the victim buying fentanyl from Case on prior occasions. Case admitted to distributing a substance containing fentanyl to the victim on April 27, 2022, and that the victim died as the result of ingesting that substance. Case was arrested on April 29, 2022 while in possession of additional amounts of fentanyl on his person and at his residence. Under federal law, Case must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years. He also must forfeit $7,803.00 in United States currency seized at the time of his arrest and make restitution to the victim’s family in the amount of $4,716.19. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Detroit Field Division; and Director Scott Hardcorn, Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by DEA and the Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Bracke prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. — END —


title: New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Violations of Federal Gun Control Act

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

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on November 16, 2023, REGINALD HUMBLES , age 34, a resident of Orleans Parish, pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). HUMBLES faces a sentence of up to10 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. His sentencing is set for March 14, 2024. On December 28, 2020, HUMBLES, a convicted felon, used a firearm to threaten a victim into giving HUMBLES a waste removal truck. After using the vehicle’s onboard camera system and GPS, law enforcement located it driving west on Interstate 12. After pursuit by the Causeway Police Department, Louisiana State Police, and Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, the vehicle was eventually stopped. Following HUMBLES’s arrest, investigators located a firearm on the driver seat of the vehicle. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Inga Petrovich of the Violent Crime Unit .


title: Dunklin County, Missouri Man Admits Recording Child Sexual Abuse

body_text: CAPE GIRARDEAU – A man from Dunklin County, Missouri on Wednesday admitted recording his sexual abuse of a 13-year-old girl and recording other children in the shower. Matthew A. Prewett, 43, of Kennett, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp to a felony charge of sexual exploitation of a minor. He admitted engaging in sexual contact with a 13-year-old girl beginning in April of 2022. The Kennett Police Department received notification on May 3, 2002, that the victim was at a hospital in St. Louis for a sexual assault examination after the victim’s mother found sexually suggestive text messages from Prewett on her daughter’s phone. Prewett had recorded his crimes on video. The next day, law enforcement arrested Prewett following a traffic stop in Dunklin County. An investigation revealed that Prewett had placed hidden cameras in his home, including one in the bathroom. Prewett recorded children between ages 12 and 17 in the bathroom, while they were nude and showering. Prewett is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 21, 2024. The sexual exploitation of a minor charge is punishable by a prison sentence ranging from the mandatory minimum of 15 years up to life in prison. Prosecutors have agreed to recommend 20 years. The case was investigated by the Kennett Police Department and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Hunter is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Iowa City Woman Sentenced to 36 Months in Federal Prison International Parental Kidnapping

body_text: DAVENPORT, Iowa – An Iowa City woman was sentenced on November 20, 2023, to three years in federal prison for International Parental Kidnapping. According to public court documents, Kira K. Zielinski, 49, filed for divorce from her husband in 2020. During the divorce proceedings, the Iowa District Court of Johnson County issued orders granting joint legal custody of a shared child to Zielinski and her husband and establishing a joint custody schedule. In February 2022, Zielinski took the child and drove from Iowa to California and across the Mexican border. Zielinski remained in Mexico with the child until November 2022 when she was taken into custody while attempting to reenter the United States. In July 2023, Zielinski was found guilty by a United States District Judge following a stipulated trial. After completing her term of imprisonment, Zielinski will be required to serve one year of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Iowa City Police Department.


title: Davenport Man Sentenced to 86 Months in Federal Prison for the Distribution of Cocaine

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced on November 20, 2023, to 86 months in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine. According to court documents, in 2022, law enforcement discovered Mario Dominick Clark, 44, would travel to the Chicago area to purchase cocaine and return to the Quad Cities to sell it. On several occasions, law enforcement utilized a confidential informant to purchase cocaine supplied by Clark. In 2014, Clark was convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine in the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois. After completing his prison term, Clark will be required to serve six years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, as well as the Scott County Sherriff’s Department.


title: Doctor and Wife Admit Genetic Testing Kickback and Bribery Scheme

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: TRENTON, N.J. – A Pennsylvania doctor and his wife have admitted their roles in schemes to solicit and receive kickbacks and bribes in exchange for ordering genetic tests, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Yitzchok “Barry” Kurtzer, 63, and his wife, Robin Kurtzer, 62, both of Monsey, New York, pleaded guilty this week before U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi in Trenton to an indictment charging them with conspiracy to violate the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute. Two of Barry Kurtzer’s employees, Amber Harris and Shanelyn Kennedy, have each pleaded guilty for their roles in the kickback scheme, and Dr. Lee Besen and Kimberly Schmidt have also each pleaded guilty for a related cash-for-genetic tests scheme. Sentencings for each of those defendants is pending. “The defendants admitted that they and others worked together to solicit and accept kickbacks in exchange for referring expensive tests to particular labs. Bribes and kickbacks have no place in a doctor’s office. Patients need to be sure that their doctor is acting in their interest, uncorrupted by the promise of lucrative bribes and kickbacks. This office is always ready to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who violate the Anti-Kickback Statute are held accountable.” U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger “Patients trust their doctors because those doctors swear to an oath to do no harm,” FBI – Newark Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said. “Ripping off the federal government may not have a direct impact on the patient. It does, however, erode the faith we all have in the healthcare industry, and causes costs to go up for us all. Criminals forget there is a paper trail, and our job in the FBI is to follow it until we catch the culprit.” “When patients visit their doctor, they expect medical decisions to be made in the best interest of their health,” Tammy Tomlins, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Newark Field Office, said. “These defendants allowed greed to become a part of their medical decision making which the IRS and our law enforcement partners will not tolerate.” “Kickbacks impose hidden costs on the health care system and compromise medical decision-making,” Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, said. “We take allegations of kickbacks and bribery seriously, and today’s guilty pleas reflect our commitment to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure the integrity of federal health care programs." According to documents filed in this case and made in Court: Barry Kurtzer was a primary care physician with offices in the Scranton, Pennsylvania, area. Robin Kurtzer helped manage those offices. Beginning in 2018, Barry Kurtzer and Robin Kurtzer solicited and received monthly cash kickbacks and bribes in exchange for collecting DNA samples from Medicare patients and sending them for genetic tests to clinical laboratories in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The Kurtzers used their employees in the scheme, including Harris and Kennedy, who each helped collect the DNA swabs in exchange for payments to them. The cash kickbacks ranged up to $5,000, and the Kurtzers typically accepted the cash in one of Barry Kurtzer’s offices, at times behind locked doors. At one point, the Kurtzers complained that they were not getting paid enough and negotiated for higher kickbacks and bribes. As a result of these schemes, Medicare was billed over $1.3 million for tests generated from Barry Kurtzer’s practice. The charge of conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison, and a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for March 28, 2024. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins in Newark; and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Philadelphia Regional Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Maureen R. Dixon, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the FBI Scranton Field Office, FBI Philadelphia Division, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office for their assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys George L. Brandley and Katherine Romano of the Health Care Fraud Unit. kurtzer.indictment.pdf


title: Slidell Man Sentenced to 78 Months for Conspiracy to Commit $250,000 Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft Connection with Postal “Blue Box” Thefts

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – RONALD S. RILEY, JR . (“RILEY”) , age 28, of Slidell, Louisiana was sentenced for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. Judge Wendy Vitter sentenced him to 54 months on Count 1 and 24 months on Count 2, that must be served consecutively to Count 1. RILEY was also ordered to pay $200 in mandatory special assessment fees. A hearing will be held on January 30, 2024 to determine specific restitution amounts due to the victims. According to court documents, RILEY was involved in stealing mail from postal receptacles located in the Greater New Orleans area. Items stolen from the mail included monetary instruments and banking information that RILEY used to create fraudulent checks. These fraudulent checks were then used to defraud several federally insured financial institutions. RILEY also stole and used the identity of other persons to execute the scheme to defraud. Additionally, RILEY admitted to bank fraud of $250,000. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, the United States Secret Service, the Louisiana State Police, the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the St. Tammany Parish District Attorney’s Office, in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit and Richard R. Pickens, II of the Financial Crimes Unit, are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Three Men Charged with String of Violent Armed Robberies in Passaic County

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – Three New Jersey man were charged in connection with their respective roles in a series of armed robberies in Passaic County, New Jersey, in August 2022, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Kareem Powell, 30, of Willingboro, New Jersey, is charged by superseding indictment with two counts of Hobbs Act robbery and two counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Following his arrest on Nov. 21, 2023, Powell made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor in Newark federal court and was detained. Powell’s co-defendants, Carlos Diaz, 30, and Edward Porter, 30, both of Paterson, New Jersey, previously were charged by indictment with three counts of Hobbs Act robbery and three counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. The superseding indictment charges Diaz and Porter with an additional count of Hobbs Act robbery as well as an additional count of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: On the evening of Aug. 22, 2022, Powell, Diaz, and Porter robbed a Passaic bodega of several thousand dollars while pointing their guns at a victim and threatening to kill him. Later that same evening, Powell, Diaz, and Porter also robbed a Paterson business of several thousand dollars. During both robberies, Powell, Diaz, and Porter menaced customers with handguns and ordered them to lie on the ground. On the evening of Aug. 23, 2022, Diaz and Porter robbed a Passaic liquor store of several thousand dollars at gunpoint. While inside the store, Porter used his gun to pistol-whip a victim on the face. Later that evening, Diaz and Porter committed an additional gunpoint robbery of a business in Paterson. While inside the store, Porter pushed one victim and wrestled with a different victim, dragging the victim to the floor while attempting to take the victim’s handbag. Each count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence carries a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison, which must be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed. Hobbs Act robbery carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller; the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Richard Berdnik, the Passaic Police Department, under the direction of Police Chief Luis A. Guzman, and the Paterson Police Department, under the direction of Officer in Charge Isa Abbassi, with the investigation leading to the charges. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Garrett Schuman of the Criminal Division in Newark. The charges and allegations contained in the superseding indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. powell.sindictment.pdf


title: Keokuk Man Sentenced to 57 Months in Federal Prison for Firearms Charge

body_text: DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Keokuk man was sentenced yesterday to 57 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. According to public court documents, Octavius Sergio Dion Whitaker, 28, stole two firearms from the Farm King in West Burlington on October 27, 2022. Both firearms were later recovered by law enforcement in possession of other individuals. After completing his prison term, Whitaker will be required to serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), as well as the West Burlington Police. 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. In May 2021, the Department of Justice 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: Lebanon Man Sentenced To 300 Months In Prison For Attempted Online Enticement And Sexual Exploitation Of Children

body_text: SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Mason Morey, age 27, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on November 20, 2023, to 300 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion for attempted online enticement and sexual exploitation of children. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, between November 28, 2022, and December 8, 2022, Morey used the online application “Wikr” to communicate with an individual who Morey believed was the father of a 13-year-old girl who was offering his daughter for sex. However, Morey was actually communicating with an undercover law enforcement officer. On December 7, 2022, Morey travelled to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania to meet and engage in sexual activity with the 13-year-old girl. Law enforcement placed Morey under arrested upon his arrival and seized multiple cell phones in his possession. Law enforcement conducted a digital extraction of the information on Morey’s cell phones and discovered that he was creating pornographic videos and images with two minors and transmitting these images to another individual. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . # # #


title: Wilkes-Barre Men Charged With Drug Trafficking Offenses

body_text: SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Antoine Montgomery, 34, and Jamal Jenkins, 35, both of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, were indicted on November 21, 2023, by a federal grand jury for conspiracy and possession and distribution of fentanyl. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Montgomery and Jenkins conspired to distribute fentanyl since December of 2022, and possessed fentanyl on November 17, 2023, with the intent to distribute the narcotic in Luzerne County. The case was investigated by the Wilkes-Barre City Police, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the DEA. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd K. Hinkley is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses. This case is also 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. The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is lifetime imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: FCI Schuylkill Inmate Indicted For Possession Of A Weapon

body_text: SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Tyrell Lockhart, age 26, a federal inmate incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution at Schuylkill (FCI Schuylkill), Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on the charge of possession of a weapon. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on July 11, 2023, inmate Lockhart was found in possession of a homemade knife, commonly referred to as a “shank.” The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Special Investigative Services of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luisa Honora Berti is prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is up to five years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Dulce Man Charged with Assault

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Alex Julian appeared in federal court on an indictment charging him with assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Julian, 27, of Dulce, and an enrolled member of the Jicarilla Apache Nation, will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. According to the indictment, on Oct. 25, 2022, Julian assaulted John Doe with a knife and the assault resulted in serious bodily injury to John Doe. An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Julian faces up to 20 years in prison. The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Jicarilla Apache Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Trembley is prosecuting the case. # # # 23-271


title: Lewistown Man Charged With Attempted Enticement Of A Minor To Engage In Prostitution And Sexual Activity

body_text: WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Gregory A. Wilson, age 50, of Lewistown, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on an attempted enticement of a minor charge. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on November 8, 2023, in Centre County, Wilson attempted to persuade, entice, and coerce a minor child to engage in prostitution and sexual activity. The case was investigated by the FBI, Pennsylvania State Police, Patton Township Police, the Centre County District Attorney’s Office, Williamsport Police, and the Lycoming County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisan V. Martin is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood , a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Cassville Man Charged With Attempted Enticement Of A Minor To Engage In Prostitution And Sexual Activity

body_text: WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Robert Mansberger, age 58, of Cassville, Pennsylvania, was indicted on November 21, 2023, by a federal grand jury on an attempted enticement of a minor charge. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on November 10, 2023, in Centre County, Mansberger attempted to persuade, entice, and coerce a minor child to engage in prostitution and sexual activity. The case was investigated by the FBI, Pennsylvania State Police, Patton Township Police, the Centre County District Attorney’s Office, Williamsport Police, and the Lycoming County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisan V. Martin is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood , a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Howard Man Charged With Attempted Enticement Of A Minor To Engage In Sexual Activity

body_text: WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Christopher Crispen, age 32, of Howard, Pennsylvania, was indicted on November 21, 2023, by a federal grand jury on attempted enticement of a minor and attempted receipt of child pornography offenses. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that from November 8 to November 9, 2023, in Centre County, Crispen attempted to persuade, entice, and coerce a minor child to engage in prostitution and sexual activity. The indictment also alleges that Crispen attempted to receive child pornography on November 8, 2023. The case was investigated by the FBI, Pennsylvania State Police, Patton Township Police, the Centre County District Attorney’s Office, Williamsport Police, and the Lycoming County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisan V. Martin is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood , a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #