title: Davenport Man Sentenced to More than 19 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Distribution

component: USAO - Iowa, Southern

body_text: DAVENPORT, IA – A Davenport man was sentenced on March 8, 2023, to 235 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, David Terrell Parrow, 47, sold a pound of methamphetamine on two separate occasions to a confidential informant. In January 2022, the Davenport Police Department then executed a search warrant on Parrow’s residence and recovered marijuana and cocaine base. Following his prison term, Parrow will serve five years of supervised release. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Davenport Police Department investigated 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. 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: Former Iowa State Patrol Trooper Sentenced for Civil Rights Violation

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – A former Iowa State Patrol trooper was sentenced on March 7, 2023, to two years of probation for deprivation of rights under color of law. According to court documents, on September 25, 2017, Robert James Smith, 58, was on patrol and observed an individual traveling on a motorcycle on Interstate 80 at a speed above the posted speed limit. Smith attempted to catch up to the motorcycle. The motorcyclist exited Interstate 80 in Cedar County, stopped the motorcycle and dismounted. In his marked squad car, Smith exited behind the motorcycle, engaged the overhead lights and siren on his patrol vehicle, parked near and quickly approached the victim with his pistol drawn and pointed at the victim. As the victim was standing next to the motorcycle with hands in the air, Smith delivered an open palm strike to the victim’s chin area. The force of the strike caused the victim to fall back over the motorcycle, after which Smith knelt on and handcuffed the victim, then stood the victim up. In a report about the incident, Smith wrote that he reached with his hand intending to take hold of the victim’s shoulder but instead inadvertently came into contact with the front side of his helmet. In his plea agreement, Smith admitted that his open hand palm strike was intentional, done with a bad purpose or improper motive to disregard the law, and was an unreasonable use of force. Smith plead guilty in September 2022 . Smith was also ordered to pay a fine of $7500.00. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.


title: Georgia Couple Sentenced for Paycheck Protection Program Fraud

body_text: United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Jeremy D. Sanders, 32, and Lakeda R. Sanders, 27, husband and wife, both of Newnan, Georgia, were sentenced on March 10, 2023, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, by Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. Jeremy Sanders was sentenced to four years of probation, including three months of home confinement, and was ordered to pay restitution of $21,304.88. Lakeda Sanders was sentenced to four years of probation, including six months of home confinement, and was ordered to pay restitution of $27,793.79. Both pled guilty in December 2022 to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud. During 2020 and 2021, both Jeremy Sanders and Lakeda Sanders submitted or caused to be submitted applications for Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans. The PPP loan program was created by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, which was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Both Jeremy and Lakeda Sanders worked with others to prepare and submit loan applications that misrepresented payroll for their purported businesses and sole proprietorship. The businesses in fact had no employees, and the PPP applications were supported by false tax documents. Jeremy Sanders and an Omaha-based co-conspirator submitted fraudulent applications for loans totaling approximately $41,290, and he obtained $20,690. Lakeda Sanders and a co-conspirator submitted fraudulent applications for loans totaling approximately $220,000, and she obtained $24,166. 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 . This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


title: Omaha Man Sentenced to 60 Months for Distribution of Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Eric D. Waller, 54, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on March 10, 2023, in federal court in Omaha for distribution of methamphetamine. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Waller to 60 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a four-year term of supervised release. On May 16, 2022, Waller sold methamphetamine to a cooperating witness working with law enforcement. Laboratory testing confirmed a net weight of 13.967 grams and purity of 94.3 percent. This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.


title: Honduran National Indicted for Illegal Re-Entry

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – DARLIN AMINADAK BANEGAS-CRUZ , a/k/a “Darlis Mindak Banegas-Cruz,” age 28, was indicted on March 10, 2023 for illegal reentry of a removed alien in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to the indictment, DARLIN AMINADAK BANEGAS-CRUZ , (“ BANEGAS-CRUZ ”) reentered the United States after being previously deported on October 30, 2019. If convicted, BANEGAS-CRUZ faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years, a maximum fine of up to $250,000, a maximum term of supervised release of up to one year, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. He faces a sentencing enhancement of 10 years because of a prior felony conviction. U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carter K. D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced  for Drug Charges

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – SEAN BRIGGS , a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on February 28, 2023 by U.S. District Court Judge Wendy B. Vitter to fifty-one (51) months of incarceration after pleading guilty as charged to a one-count indictment, announced United States Attorney Duane A. Evans. Judge Vitter ordered that BRIGGS be placed on supervised release for three (3) years following his release from imprisonment. BRIGGS was also ordered to pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. Count 1 charged BRIGGS with possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, including fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(1)(D). According to court records, on May 4, 2022, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents were conducting surveillance near the intersection of Reverend John Raphael and Josephine Streets, in New Orleans, LA. Agents observed BRIGGS engaging in suspected hand-to-hand drug transactions. A New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) Real Time Crime Camera (RTCC) was also operational in the area and surveilled BRIGGS . The RTCC camera captured BRIGGS holding a bag of narcotics and dealing fentanyl to a passenger of a vehicle. BRIGGS had previously plead guilty to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime at the same intersection in 2018 and received an eighty (80) month federal sentence. BRIGGS was dealing drugs in 2022 only months after his release while under supervision by Federal Probation and Parole Agents. As agents began driving towards BRIGGS, he noticed them and walked away briskly. Agents saw BRIGGS tuck a bag with a white substance under his arm and run. As agents approached BRIGGS , they saw him throw a baseball sized bag of drugs from his person. 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department in this matter. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mike Trummel of the Violent Crime Unit .


title: Wise County Pair Sentenced for Distributing Fentanyl Pills

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: ABINGDON, Va. – A pair of Southwest Virginia men, who distributed pressed pills containing fentanyl purchased from various social media platforms, were sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court in Abingdon. Paul Mason Perkins, 21, of Big Stone Gap, Virginia, was sentenced yesterday to 42 months. Austin Jeremiah Lane, 23, of Norton, Virginia, was sentenced to 36 months. Perkins and Lane pleaded guilty in June 2022 to one count each of conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. A third defendant, Cheyenne Cassie Carico, also pled guilty to the same charge last year and will be sentenced in April. According to court documents, between February 2021 and February 2022, Perkins purchased thousands of pressed pills containing fentanyl online through a source located in California. Perkins ordered 1,000 pills at a time from the California source on the social media platforms Snapchat and Instagram, making purchases every few weeks. He had the pills mailed to his residence in Big Stone Gap. Perkins then distributed the pills to other individuals in Wise County, including multiple sales to co-conspirators Lane and Carico. United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh, Michael Weddel, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Atlanta Division made the announcement. The Wise County Sheriff’s Office, the Norton Police Department, the Southwest Drug Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and the United States Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lena Busscher is prosecuting the case.


title: Baton Rouge Area Man Pleads Guilty to Violating the Federal Controlled Substances Act

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – QUAN LEWIS , age 27, a resident of Gonzales, Louisiana, pled guilty on March 8, 2023 to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five hundred grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A), and 846, and two counts of possession with intent to distribute fifty grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to court documents, in January 2020, a Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office narcotics agent received information from a confidential source that Eric Rodriguez was routinely driving from Jefferson Parish to the Prairieville/Gonzales, Louisiana area to purchase methamphetamine. On January 20, 2020, agents learned that Rodriguez traveled to Gonzales where he remained for approximately fifteen minutes before returning to the Jefferson Parish area. Agents conducted an investigatory stop of Rodriguez in Westwego, Louisiana and recovered approximately 444 grams of methamphetamine from his vehicle. Agents determined that Rodriguez obtained the methamphetamine from LEWIS . A search of Rodriguez’s telephone revealed several text messages between Rodriguez and LEWIS in which they negotiated several drug transactions with each other. To further their investigation, on August 11, 2020, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office narcotics agents used a confidential source to purchase methamphetamine from LEWIS . Under the direction of the agents, the confidential source contacted LEWIS and they agreed to meet at a convenience store in Gonzales where LEWIS sold the confidential source one pound of methamphetamine with 97% purity. For the conspiracy count, LEWIS faces a minimum term of imprisonment of ten years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life, a fine of up to $10,000,000.00, and a term of supervised release of at least five years. For the possession with intent to distribute counts, LEWIS faces a minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of forty years, a fine of up to $5,000,000.00, and a term of supervised release of at least four years. At sentencing, LEWIS must pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $100 for each count. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney André Jones.


title: Charleston County Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding the Small Business Association

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: C HARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA — Antonio Brown-Sanders, 26, of Charleston, pleaded guilty in federal court to defrauding the Small Business Association (SBA) to receive an Emergency Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The evidence presented at the guilty plea hearing established that Brown-Sanders applied to the SBA to receive an EIDL loan that fraudulently represented he owned a lawn care business. The application submitted by Brown-Sanders also falsely represented the number of employees and gross revenues for the fraudulent lawn care business. The total amount lent to Brown-Sanders by the SBA was $81,600. Brown-Sanders is subject to a maximum sentence of twenty years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.00. United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Brown-Sanders after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the United States Probation Office. 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 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 via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Small Business Administration, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Amy F. Bower prosecuted the case. ###


title: Seven Men Sentenced To Federal Prison For Attempting To Smuggle More Than $20 Million Of Cocaine In International Waters

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, FL – Senior U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington has sentenced seven Mexican and Ecuadorian nationals to federal prison for their roles in a plan to smuggle more than $20 million of cocaine from South America to Central America in a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. The individuals were sentenced to the following prison terms: Name Age, Residence Sentence Imposed Luis Alberto Bran-Lopez 43, Oaxaca, Mexico 21 years, 10 months Isaac Enriquez Oyando 34, Chiapas, Mexico 21 years, 10 months Romeo Santos Hernandez 37, Paredon, Mexico 20 years Juan Hernandez 45, Mexicali, Mexico 21 years, 10 months John Dario Macias Agua 34, Ecuador 21 years, 10 months Jaime Velez Arcentales 40, Manabi, Ecuador 21 years, 10 months Eddy Anchundia Velez 32, Jaramillo, Ecuador 21 years, 10 months Bran-Lopez pleaded guilty on April 15, 2022. Enriquez-Oyando, Santos-Hernandez, Macias Agua, Velez Arcentales, and Anchundia Velez were convicted at trial on August 19, 2022. Juan Hernandez pleaded guilty on November 21, 2022. According to court documents and trial evidence, these individuals were part of a seven-person crew smuggling 760 kilograms of cocaine from South America to Mexico. On January 14, 2021, aerial surveillance spotted a suspicious vessel in international waters more than 200 miles south of Huatulco, Mexico. A law enforcement detachment from the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast interdicted the vessel and found the seven crew members in the process of trying to throw bales of cocaine overboard. Evidence was presented that the vessel departed South America and rendezvoused with a boat from Mexico to transport the cocaine to shore. However, the Mexican vessel experienced engine troubles, and all seven conspirators had to travel in the slower South American vessel until the Coast Guard interdicted them. During the trial, the defendants from Mexico claimed that they were tricked into going on a drug trip and the defendants from Ecuador claimed they were adrift at sea and rescued shortly before the Coast Guard showed up. At trial, the jury heard evidence that investigators learned of a plan that one of the seven coconspirators would plead guilty and then provide false information to law enforcement exonerating the others. Bran-Lopez, who the evidence showed was the captain of the Mexican go-fast vessel that broke down during the smuggling operation, was the designated “fall guy.” He pleaded guilty and then testified for the defense that he tricked his codefendants into thinking they were going on a fishing trip because his family had been kidnapped. While at sea, his coconspirators found Macias Agua, Velez Arcentales, and Anchundia Velez adrift in another vessel. However, the timeline of events in Bran-Lopez’s testimony did not match evidence obtained from searches of cellphones and GPS data showing that he and his coconspirators were at sea days before he claimed the kidnapping happened. Trial evidence also showed that Juan Hernandez had a prior federal trafficking conviction, and at sentencing the court considered evidence of Anchundia Velez having a drug trafficking conviction in Ecuador that is pending appeal. The Court found that each defendant obstructed justice through the scheme to have Bran-Lopez provide false information at trial. Bran-Lopez, specifically, obstructed justice when he gave false information to agents, and the codefendants obstructed justice when trying to benefit from Bran-Lopez’s trial testimony, knowing that it was false. This case was investigated by the Panama Express Strike Force, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) comprised of agents and analysts from the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and U.S. Southern Command's Joint Interagency Task Force South. 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 www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David Pardo and Dan Baeza.


title: Ocala Convicted Felon Sentenced To More Than 3 Years In Federal Prison For Illegally Possessing A Firearm

body_text: Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge Gregory A. Presnell has sentenced Ricky Darnell Franklin, Jr. (31, Ocala) to three years and four months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The court also ordered the forfeiture of the handgun and ammunition used in the offense. Franklin had pleaded guilty on December 12, 2022. According to court records, Franklin has four prior state felony convictions, including two convictions for attempted second degree murder with a firearm (2010), shooting at or into an occupied vehicle (2010), and possession of a firearm by a delinquent (2010). On September 30, 2021, officers from the City of Ocala Police Department stopped a vehicle in which Franklin was a passenger and recovered methamphetamine and a loaded handgun from the car. Laboratory testing by the FBI conclusively showed Franklin’s DNA on multiple parts of the loaded firearm, including the trigger. As a convicted felon, Franklin is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the City of Ocala Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk. 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: Mississippi Tax Return Preparer Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal  Prison for Filing False Tax Returns

component: USAO - Mississippi, Southern

body_text: Natchez, Miss. – A McComb woman was sentenced to serve 18 months in federal prison and pay $58,668 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service for preparing false tax returns for her clients, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and James E. Dorsey, Special Agent in Charge of Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. According to court documents and facts revealed at her plea hearing, Elizabeth Stephens, 41, worked at a tax return preparation business in McComb. Between 2014 and 2017, Stephens prepared tax returns for clients that included one or more false items, including false W-2 information and Schedule C Profit or Loss from Business Forms. These false expenses and altered W-2s reduced taxable income and maximized the Earned Income Credit, increasing the total refund amount. Stephens was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 5, 2022. She pled guilty on October 12, 2022. “The sentence today is an example of the consequences people face when they prepare and file false returns,” said Lisa Fontanette, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “As a tax preparer, Elizabeth Stephens failed to follow the ethical responsibilities of her profession.” The owner of the tax return preparation business, Shameka Wells, was sentenced on July 13, 2021 to 13 months in federal prison for filing a false tax return. The case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Purdie prosecuted the case.


title: Home health owner set to appear on fraud charges

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 43-year-old Houston woman has been charged for conspiracy to commit and committing health care fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Rose Davies is expected to make her initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena H. Palermo at 2 p.m. A federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment March 1 against Davies. The charges allege Davies owned Pri Home Healthcare in Houston from 2012 to 2020. During that time, she allegedly paid recruiters and doctors to bill Medicare for home health care services using Medicare beneficiary information regardless of whether they needed home health care services or not. If convicted, Davies faces up to 10 years in federal prison for each of the five counts of health care fraud as well as another five years for the conspiracy. All charges also carry a potential $250,000 maximum fine. Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General and Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Grace Murphy and James Hu are prosecuting the case. An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Nicaraguan admits role in smuggling conspiracy resulting in death

body_text: LAREDO, Texas – A 49-year-old Nicaraguan citizen illegally in the United States has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport undocumented aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. On June 6, 2022, Arling Antonio Gutierrez-Garcia drove a semi-tractor pulling a belly dump trailer with 63 citizens from Mexico and Guatemala. The metal trailer was covered with a vinyl tarp, thereby eliminating air circulation and increasing temperatures which led to the aliens’ distress. Gutierrez-Garcia noticed them jumping out the trailer from a tear in the tarp they had made. He then stopped the semi-tractor in west Webb County on a private ranch road where law enforcement saw him standing by the cab. Law enforcement and medical personnel provided assistance to the individuals located in the trailer and brush. One alien was found at the bottom of the trailer’s pit and pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities apprehended Gutierrez-Garcia in the brush, at which time he claimed he was being transported with the others. However, the investigation revealed he was the driver of the vehicle. “Transporting dozens of human beings in a vinyl-covered all metal trailer in the South Texas summer heat demonstrates the callousness and indifference of smugglers to human life,” said Hamdani. “The sweltering heat that built up in this vehicle which was designed not for people, but for hauling sand, rock and other materials maximized the potential for injury and the eventual and tragic death of one of the victims. This defendant will now face substantial consequences for his inhumane crime.” U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña accepted the plea and will impose sentencing at a later date. At that hearing, Gutierrez-Garcia faces up to life in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine. He has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol, Sheriff’s Offices in Webb and Dimmit Counties, Webb County District Attorney’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety and Texas Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Homero Ramirez is prosecuting the case.


title: Former ticketing specialist pleads guilty to defrauding Delta Air Lines

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA - Aquil Muhammad, who sold fraudulently issued Delta Air Lines tickets, has pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. “Muhammad exploited his position of trust at Delta to enrich himself by selling fraudulent tickets,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “He was even bold enough to use his personal email address as the contact person for some of the illegal transactions.” “With this guilty plea, Muhammad acknowledges his criminal wrongdoing and can now be held accountable for his selfish actions,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI will always strive to expose corrupt employees that take advantage of their trusted positions of employment.” According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: Aquil Muhammad worked as a Delta Air Lines ticketing specialist in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In 2016, he began issuing no-fare tickets to various individuals, including family members and other acquaintances. Muhammad issued non-revenue tickets without a corresponding Non-Cash Incentive Certificate. That is, he issued free tickets, without compensation to Delta. These non-revenue tickets generated tax liability to Delta even though they had no associated cost. Muhammad also created fraudulent Transportation Credit Vouchers and Delta Travel Vouchers to cover the required taxes. Muhammad issued these non-revenue tickets from late 2016 through December 2017. He ultimately issued more than 230 tickets, with a lost revenue total of approximately $447,000. Each of the tickets were issued using Muhammad’s unique agent security identifier. In addition, many of the tickets included Muhammad’s personal email address as the contact for the passenger. He would sell these free tickets, often being paid through Square. Sentencing for Aquil Muhammad, 36, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, is scheduled for June 7, 2023, at 1:30 p.m., before U.S. District Judge Victoria M. Calvert. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Huber is prosecuting the case. 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: Informational: Federal Court arraignments

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty: Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on March 7 was: Antonio Ledesma Rodriguez, aka Uncle, 52, and Jose Delrefugio Rodriguez, 27, both of Yakima, Washington, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and distribution of fentanyl. If convicted of the most serious crime, the defendants face a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and three years of supervised release. Both defendants were detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Tri-Agency Task Force and Rocky Boy’s Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-106. Stephen Jeffrey Vogel, 35, of Great Falls, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Vogel faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Vogel was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Great Falls Police Department and Cascade County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-26. Titus Lee Pedraza, 40, of Box Elder, on charges of strangulation, assault resulting in serious bodily injury and assault resulting in substantial bodily injury. If convicted of the most serious crime, Pedraza faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Pedraza was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI and Rocky Boy’s Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-24. Thomas Knife, aka Smurf, 40, of Box Elder, and Antonio Penalosa Infante, 36, of Spokane, Washington, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. Knife also faces a charge of prohibited person in possession of a firearm, while Infante also faces a charge of distribution of controlled substances. If convicted of the most serious crime, the defendants face a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release on the drug charge and a mandatory minimum five years to life in prison, consecutive to any other charge, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the charge of possessing a firearm in a drug trafficking crime. Both defendants were detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Rocky Boy’s Police Department and Montana Highway Patrol investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-21. Heriberto Rodriguez Acosta, 30, of Yakima, Washington, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted of the most serious crime, Acosta faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Acosta was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Tri-Agency Task Force, Rocky Boy’s Police Department, U.S. Border Patrol and Kootenai County, Idaho, Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-97. Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on March 9 was: Jeff David Burke, 37, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and attempted possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. If convicted of the most serious crime, Burke faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Burke was released pending further proceedings. The Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and U.S. Postal Service investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-15. Michael Shane Oset, 47, of Livingston, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute meth and distribution of meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Oset faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Oset was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Park County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-18. The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, wh ich provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html . To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl . XXX


title: Mexican National Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Growing Over 6,500 Marijuana Plants in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Agustin Cruz-Sanchez, 34, of Mexico, was sentenced Thursday to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution to the United States for conspiracy to manufacture marijuana and depredation of public lands and resources, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, from April to August 2018, Cruz-Sanchez lived and worked at an illegal marijuana grow site in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, along with co-defendant Abraham De Los Santos-Sanchez. Beginning on Aug. 17, 2018, law enforcement officers executed a search of the grow and eradicated 6,575 marijuana plants, a marijuana processing area, and harvested marijuana. The marijuana had an estimated street value of more than $1.5 million. Cruz-Sanchez and Santos-Sanchez expected to share in those profits, along with the off-site leader of the operation, Fidel Sanchez-Cruz. During the search and reclamation of the grow site, law enforcement found a .40-caliber Smith & Wesson handgun with an obliterated serial number, pellet rifles, a loaded Smith & Wesson magazine, and a .40-caliber Smith & Wesson ammunition cartridge in front of Cruz-Sanchez’s tent. The handgun was found along the route that Cruz-Sanchez fled from law enforcement during the search of the grow site, before he was apprehended and arrested. Photographs and videos found on Cruz-Sanchez’s cellphone showed him and Santos-Sanchez posing with the handgun and pellet rifle in the marijuana fields and touting their ability to protect the grow with the weapons. The environmental damage to the forest was analyzed and documented by Integral Ecology Research Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to the research and conservation of wildlife and their ecosystems that has examined over 100 public land marijuana grow sites. According to the report of the investigation filed with the court, environmental scientists found and documented extensive environmental damage, including the use and disposal of bottles of pesticides, fertilizers, and other chemicals. The hazardous wastes found at the grow site included carbofuran, a toxic pesticide that is banned in the United States. The environmental assessment concluded that the carbofuran and other pesticides and fertilizer at the grow site likely posed a significant direct risk to a number of endangered and threatened species, including the northern spotted owl, the foothill yellow-legged frog, and coho salmon. Makeshift reservoirs and a large network of plastic irrigation lines were also found and eradicated. The environmental assessment concluded that more than 14.25 million gallons of water were illegally diverted at the grow site. This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the California Highway Patrol, the California Department of Justice – North State Marijuana Investigation Team, the Trinity County Sheriff’s Office, the Tehama County Sheriff’s Office, the Corning Police Department, and the Red Bluff Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David W. Spencer is prosecuting the case. Santos-Sanchez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture marijuana and on June 18, 2020, was sentenced to 10 years in prison. On May 19, 2022, Fidel Sanchez-Cruz pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture marijuana, manufacture of marijuana, and depredation of public lands and resources. Sanchez-Cruz is scheduled to be sentenced on March 23, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley. Sanchez-Cruz faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.


title: Kent, Washington, resident indicted for dealing fentanyl while illegally possessing firearm

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 36-year-old Kent, Washington, resident was indicted by a grand jury for trafficking narcotics while illegally possessing a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Mohamed Aweys Muse is charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. Muse is scheduled for arraignment on March 15, 2023. According to records filed in the case, Muse came to the attention of law enforcement in late 2022, when Muse was observed making hand-to-hand drug sales in the area of Airport Way South and South Holgate Street in Seattle. Muse appeared to target the clients of a methadone clinic a block away for his drug sales. In January, Muse started staying overnight at a Lynwood, Washington apartment. On February 2, 2023, law enforcement served a court-authorized search warrant on both the Lynnwood and Kent apartments. In the Lynnwood apartment, investigators found fentanyl, cocaine, and three firearms. In the Kent apartment, law enforcement found additional cocaine. Muse was arrested and has been in federal custody since his arrest. The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Due to the drug quantities involved, Muse faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison if convicted of the drug trafficking charges. The firearms count is punishable by an additional five years in prison to run consecutive to any prison term imposed on the drug charges. The case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration in collaboration with the King County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yunah Chung.


title: Tribe Member Sentenced To Prison For Shooting At Police Officer

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: RENO – A Winnemucca Indian Colony tribe member was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Larry R. Hicks to 78 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for shooting at a law enforcement officer and pointing his firearm at a second officer. Martin Williams (39) pleaded guilty in November 2022 to two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon within Indian Country. According to court documents and admissions made in court by Williams, on April 2, 2020, he fired a shot at a law enforcement officer while on the Winnemucca Indian Colony reservation and pointed his firearm at a second officer. United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement. The FBI, Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, Winnemucca Police Department, and the Elko Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Penelope Brady and Andrew Keenan prosecuted the case. ###


title: Eleven Charged With Drug Trafficking for Chicago Street Gang

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

body_text: CHICAGO — A federal drug trafficking investigation has resulted in charges against 11 individuals for allegedly conspiring to distribute crack cocaine for the La Familia Stones street gang in the Chicago area, primarily in the Albany Park neighborhood on Chicago’s North Side. As part of the investigation, law enforcement shut down a telephone drug hotline, according to a criminal complaint recently unsealed in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Charged in the criminal complaint, which was unsealed on March 2, 2023, is EDUART HOXHA, 35, of Chicago, also known as “Finn” and “White Boy,” ALEXIS DEL TORO, 24, of Elmwood Park, also known as “Tony,” FREDDY DEL TORO, 27, of Elmwood Park, also known as “Fredo” and “Ricky,” BRYAN DEL TORO, 22, of Elmwood Park, ALEX HERNANDEZ, 24, of Chicago, also known as “Joey” and “Biggie,” HADER GARCIA, 19, of Chicago, also known as “Luis,” RUBEN VALENCIA, 22, of Chicago, KARINA JIMENEZ, 35, of Chicago, also known as “Kay Kay” and “Rina,” KEVIN RAMIREZ, 27, of Evanston, JONAS CASTILLO, 26, of Chicago, also known as “Guero,” and JESENIA CALLE, 20, of Chicago, also known as “J-Dog.” As described in the complaint, two of the defendants have also been charged with murder in the Circuit Court of Cook County and are currently being held in state custody. The defendants charged in the complaint are alleged to have conspired to distribute crack cocaine between December 2021 and November 2022, primarily using a telephone hotline that customers used to order crack cocaine, which was then delivered by one of the defendants. During the investigation, law enforcement officials seized hundreds of grams of crack cocaine and numerous firearms from various defendants. All but one of the defendants were arrested by federal agents last week or are in State custody and have begun making initial appearances in U.S. District Court in Chicago. One defendant remains at large, and a warrant has been issued for his arrest. The arrests are announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Sheila G. Lyons, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Christopher C. Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and David Brown, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. Substantial assistance was provided by the Chicago Police Department’s Narcotics Division, which began a narcotics investigation to assist Chicago Police Department’s Detectives Bureau, and later worked with the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Additional assistance was provided by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, Cook County Sheriff’s Office, Chicago High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Investigative Support Center, Illinois National Guard, Skokie Police Department, and Elmwood Park Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ramon Villalpando, Ann Marie Ursini, and Adam Rosenbloom. The public is reminded that a complaint contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers and other alleged criminal offenders that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against alleged criminal networks.


title: Repeat Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal Prison for Meth Trafficking in Kokomo

component: USAO - Indiana, Southern

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Jerry Glenn, 36, of Kokomo, Indiana, was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. According to court documents, on July 18, 2021, at approximately 4 in the morning, Kokomo Police Department Officers found Jerry Glenn asleep in the driver seat of a parked vehicle. Officers offered Glenn a ride home. Before placing him in the squad car, officers searched Glenn and recovered 139 grams of methamphetamine in his back pocket. Glenn intended to sell and distribute the methamphetamine. At the time of his arrest, Glenn had been previously convicted of multiple felonies related to possessing and dealing in methamphetamine and other controlled substances. Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana and Michael Gannon, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Indianapolis Field Office made the announcement. “Methamphetamine and other controlled substances are killing far too many Hoosiers and have devastating impacts on users, their loved ones, and our communities,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Repeat drug dealers like this defendant must be held accountable for the suffering they cause in search of quick profits. I commend the efforts of the DEA and Kokomo Police Department to make our communities safer by getting meth and meth dealers off our streets.” DEA and Kokomo Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Sarah Evans Barker. Judge Barker also ordered that Glenn be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 5 years following his release from federal prison and pay a $500.00 fine. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Michelle P. Brady, who prosecuted this case. ###


title: Framingham Man Sentenced in Business Email Compromise Scheme

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Framingham man was sentenced yesterday for his role in a business email compromise (BEC) scheme. Gustaf Njei, 27, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 27 months in prison and two years of supervised release. Njei was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $94,630. In December 2022, Njei was convicted by a federal jury of two counts of wire fraud, one count of structuring to avoid reporting requirements, one count of unlawful monetary transactions and one count of money laundering conspiracy. Njei set up a bank account in the name of a fake business, “Njei Trading,” to receive the criminal proceeds of a BEC scheme. A BEC scheme is a sophisticated scam often targeting businesses involved in wire transfer payments. The fraud is carried out by compromising and/or “spoofing” legitimate business email accounts through social engineering or computer intrusion techniques, to cause employees of the victim company (or other individuals involved in legitimate business transactions) to transfer funds to accounts controlled by the scammers. Njei’s co-conspirators used hacked and spoofed email accounts to trick the victims of the scheme into wiring hundreds of thousands of dollars to a bank account under Njei’s control. Njei then transferred part of the funds to a bank account located overseas, while splitting the remaining funds with a co-conspirator in the United States. “Since June 2016, victims have lost over $43 billion to BEC fraud schemes just like the one Mr. Njei and his co-conspirators engaged in. The network of online criminals targeting victims is growing every day and their tools are getting more sophisticated. This sentence should send a clear message to scammers that they will be identified and held accountable,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “Mr. Njei knew he was engaging in a devastating fraud scheme, but all that mattered to him was lining his pockets with proceeds stolen from unwitting innocent victims. This sentence holds him accountable and we will to make sure that the restitution the court ordered gets to his victims.” “Scam artists like Gustaf Njei are committing fraud on a massive scale and must be held accountable. This sentence does exactly that, although the harm the victims in this case suffered can’t be measured in dollars and cents,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Every year, victims lose billions of dollars of their hard-earned money, along with many sleepless nights, and fear losing their businesses and credibility. This case shows the FBI will do everything it can to find and hold financial fraudsters like Mr. Njei accountable to the fullest extent of the law.” U.S. Attorney Rollins and FBI SAC Bonavolonta made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William B. Brady and Benjamin A. Saltzman of Rollins’ Criminal Division prosecuted the case.


title: Source of Supply for Carrollton Fentanyl Trafficker Charged

body_text: A Flower Mound man who supplied fentanyl to a trafficker linked to at least one juvenile overdose has been federally charged, announce U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Stephen Paul Brinson, 18, was arrested in Flower Mound on Wednesday, charged via criminal complaint with conspiracy to distribute a schedule II controlled substance. He made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rene Toliver Friday. “In just four weeks, we have charged five adults accused of trafficking deadly fentanyl to children. The Justice Department will deploy every investigative technique, pursue every lead, and exhaust every legal avenue available to eradicate counterfeit fentanyl pills,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “In the meantime, we urge the community to remind our young people: Any pill not prescribed by a doctor could be lethal. One pill can kill.” “The latest arrest of Mr. Brinson shows that our determination to reduce the threat of illicit fentanyl and save lives will not stop,” said Eduardo A. Chavez, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Dallas Field Division. “Let me be clear to those who still continue to traffic fentanyl pills: DEA Dallas and our law enforcement partners such as Carrollton PD will find you and hold you accountable for your selfish actions. The safety of our families and community depend on it.” “Taking this dealer out of the network puts a significant dent in the dealers’ ability to sell drugs to all DFW-area children. We remain committed to arresting those who put the lives of our children in danger,” said Carrollton Police Chief Roberto Arredondo. According to the complaint, Mr. Brinson acted as the source of supply for fentanyl to Donovan Jude Andrews , the Carrollton dealer who allegedly capitalized on the arrest of Luis Navarrete and Magalo Cano to advertise his pill business. (Mr. Andrews is allegedly tied to at least one juvenile fentanyl overdose, and Mr. Navarrete and Ms. Cano, along with their supplier, Jason Villanueva , are allegedly tied to ten others.) Law enforcement identified Mr. Brinson shortly after they arrested Mr. Andrews and his juvenile driver, identified in court documents as “DC,” a Hebron high school student who allegedly chauffeured the dealer around in exchange for fentanyl pills. In DC’s phone, DEA agents found text messages identifying the Instagram user “superstarxs” – later identified as Mr. Brinson – as a “plug,” or source, for fentanyl pills. A few days later, another young woman also identified Mr. Brinson, whom she called “Steve-O,” as the “main plug” for fentanyl. On March 8, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Mr. Brinson’s house in Flower Mound, where they encountered his 19-year-old girlfriend apparently under the influence of fentanyl. She told officers that there were crushed-up fentanyl pills near the nightstand in the room that she and Mr. Brinson shared and advised that Brinson had two safes in the bedroom. Inside one of the safes, Carrollton police officers found multiple bags containing more than 1,000 blue counterfeit M/30 pills that field tested positive for fentanyl: Officers also found a digital scale covered in drug residue, small drug baggies used for repackaging for sale, and bulk U.S. currency. On a console table at the bottom of the stairs, they also found a note from Mr. Brinson’s parents outlining chores they wanted him to do and warning him, “don’t meet people in front of the house or in view of the house.” (Mr. Brinson’s father later told law enforcement he and his wife knew Stephen used fentanyl but claimed they did not know he was dealing pills in front of the home.) Meanwhile, law enforcement observed Mr. Brinson load a large bag into his Lexus and followed him to a nearby parking lot, where cooperating defendants claimed he often conducted drug transactions. Inside the car, officers found an FN 5.7 pistol, commonly referred to a “cop killer,” and an AR-15 platform rifle; inside Brinson’s sock, they found a small baggy containing an M/30 pill. When he arrived at the Carrollton Jail for processing, Mr. Brinson began kicking his cell door and shouting. He later insisted he was “minding his own [expletive] business in my white-[expletive] house in Flower Mound,” and advised agents and officers that because he was white and living in Flower Mound, Texas, that was going to help him in his case. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Like all defendants, Mr. Brinson is presumed innocent until proven guilty, as are Mr. Andrews, Mr. Navarrete, Ms. Cano, and Mr. Villarreal. If convicted, Mr. Brinson faces up to 20 years in federal prison. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division and the Carrollton Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Flower Mound Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rick Calvert and Phelesa Guy are prosecuting the case. Note: Illicitly produced, fentanyl-laced pills often look similar to legitimate prescription pills like Oxycontin or Percocet, but can pose significantly more danger. On the street, these pills are often referred to as “M30s” (a reference to the markings on some of the pills), “blues,” “perks,” “yerks,” “china girls,” or “TNT.” DEA research shows that six out of ten pills laced with fentanyl contain a potentially lethal dose. One pill can kill. For resources, visit https://www.dea.gov/onepill .


title: Henderson County Drug Dealer Sentenced to 151 Months in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Owensboro, KY – A Henderson County, Kentucky man was sentenced yesterday to 151 months in prison for trafficking in methamphetamine. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police made the announcement. According to court documents, on October 7, 2021, Jason P. Elder, 43, of Henderson, Kentucky, possessed with the intent to distribute 164.95 grams of methamphetamine. When Elder committed this offense, he was on supervised release for a previous federal drug trafficking conviction, and he received an additional sentence of 12 months and 1 day for that violation. His total sentence in federal prison is 163 months and 1 day. Following the prison sentence, Elder will serve 5 years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. “Individuals like the defendant, who plan to flood Western Kentucky communities with poisonous substances, will face lengthy federal prison sentences,” stated U.S. Attorney Bennett. “Working with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, we will continue to focus federal resources on drug traffickers as we strive to increase public safety in the Western District.” “As highly addictive drugs continue to plague communities throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky, this sentence removes an important cog in this western Kentucky ring of destruction,” stated FBI Special Agent in Charge Cohen. “Knowing the harm that drug trafficking brings to our neighborhoods, the FBI will continue to use all resources necessary to bring drug dealers to justice.” The case was investigated by the FBI Owensboro Satellite Office and the Kentucky State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, prosecuted the case. ###


title: Two Individuals Indicted on Gun Charges Appear in Federal Court

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: BIRMIGHAM, Ala. -- Yesterday, two individuals were arrested by FBI agents and appeared in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples. Charles Edward Kilgore , 31, of Heflin, and Thomas Austin Griffith , 24, of Anniston, were arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nicholas A. Danella on charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Kilgore and Griffith are being held in the custody of the U.S. Marshal until their detention hearings which are set for March 14. According to the indictments, Kilgore illegally possessed a Glock .40 caliber pistol on January 6, 2023, in Cleburne County. Griffith illegally possessed a Glock .40 caliber pistol on December 9, 2022, in Calhoun County. The maximum penalty for being a felon in possession of a firearm is 15 years in prison. The FBI North Alabama Violent Crime Task Force investigated the case, along with the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office and the Oxford Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Royster is prosecuting the case. An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Randolph Woman Arrested for Hiding Over $3.2 Million in Payroll

body_text: BOSTON – A Randolph woman was arrested today in connection with her involvement in a payroll tax avoidance scheme. Lilian Giang, 53, was indicted by a federal grand jury with mail fraud and failure to collect and pay over taxes. Giang was released on conditions following an appearance in federal court in Boston this afternoon before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Donald L. Cabell. According to court records, between 2015 and 2019, Giang owned and operated Able Temp Agency, a temporary employment agency in Quincy that served client companies in Massachusetts. The client companies paid Able Temp Agency for the temporary employees’ work on an hourly basis. Giang deposited those payments into bank accounts in the name of Able Temp Agency that she controlled, and then allegedly paid the temporary employees through a combination of checks and cash. By using cash payments, Giang allegedly hid over $3.2 million in payroll and avoided paying more than $815,000 in required payroll taxes. It is further alleged that Giang also used her false payroll numbers to obtain worker’s compensation insurance at lower premium rates. The charge of mail fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, restitution and forfeiture. The charge of failure to collect or pay over taxes provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $10,000 and restitution. 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. United States Rachael S. Rollins and Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Markham of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Tracy Thibodeau Pleads Not Guilty to Credit Union Fraud

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont - The United States Attorney’s Office stated that Tracy Thibodeau, 46, of Windsor, Vermont, pleaded not guilty today in United States District Court in Burlington to a charge of credit union fraud. United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle released Thibodeau on conditions pending trial, which has not been scheduled. According to court records, on February 22, 2023, a federal grand jury in Rutland returned a one-count indictment charging Thibodeau, who at the time was known as Tracy Hill, with defrauding her former employer, the Vermont VA Federal Credit Union. The VVAFCU is a small credit union that has one office in White River Junction. Thibodeau began working at the credit union in 2015 and was promoted to branch manager in around 2016. The credit union offered VVAFCU VISA credit cards to members and employees. The indictment charges that in April 2019, Thibodeau misused her authority at the bank to open a personal VVVAFCU credit card account without proper authorization from her superiors. Later in 2019, it is alleged, Thibodeau again misused her access to the credit union’s credit card processing software to grant herself, without authorization, privileged statuses on her card account. Those privileges eliminated maximum account limits; excused her from paying late fees and penalties on overdue balances; and also eliminated monthly minimum payments. Between April 2019 and February 2021, Thibodeau used her credit card to make purchases in excess of $140,000. During that period, Thibodeau made only small monthly payments toward her large account balance. The indictment further alleges that Thibodeau concealed her procurement and misuse of the credit card by manipulating internal credit card journal reports to hide from her superiors the existence of a large balance in her account. The credit union discovered the fraud in April 2022 and promptly fired Thibodeau. At that time, the outstanding balance on her account was more than $137,000. That loss has been absorbed by the credit union and its insurer. The United States Attorney emphasizes that the charge in the indictment is merely an accusation and that Thibodeau is presumed innocent unless and until she is proven guilty. If convicted, Thibodeau faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000. The actual sentence would be determined with reference to federal sentencing guidelines. This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Hartford, Vermont Police Department. Thibodeau is represented by Robert Katims, Esq. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples.


title: Man Indicted on Multiple Kidnapping, Carjacking, and Firearms Offenses

body_text: CHICAGO — A federal grand jury has indicted a Chicago man on three counts of kidnapping, two counts of carjacking, and one firearms charge for offenses he committed while on pre-trial release for a previously charged federal gun offense. Those convicted of committing a criminal offense while on pretrial release are subject to an enhanced criminal penalty. The superseding indictment alleges that on February 27, March 8, and March 10, 2021 ANDREW ANANIA, 28, of Chicago, kidnapped the drivers of three vehicles, one on each date. On two of the occasions, Anania also stole the victims’ motor vehicle with intent to cause death and serious bodily harm. In October 2021, Anania was previously indicted on a kidnapping charge for the incident that occurred on March 8 during which he also sexually abused his victim. Anania was arrested for this offense on March 13, 2021 and has been in custody since that time. Prior to the conduct described in the superseding indictment, on February 15, 2019, while driving in the neighborhood of Little Village, Anania was stopped by Chicago Police Officers. When officers attempted to approach Anania, he fled on foot through a residential neighborhood. During the pursuit, officers observed Anania throw a firearm into a residential yard. Officers arrested Anania and recovered the firearm a short time later. Anania was indicted by a federal grand jury for being a felon in possession of a firearm on June 26, 2019, and a court later granted his request for pre-trial release. On October 14, 2021, Anania pleaded guilty to this firearms offense, and he was sentenced to 40 months’ imprisonment for that offense on February 14, 2022. The indictment is announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Robert W. Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and David Brown, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. Substantial assistance was provided by the Darien Police Department, Cicero Police Department, Summit Police Department, and Stickney Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cornelius Vandenberg. The public is reminded that an indictment contains only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Each count of kidnapping is punishable by up to life imprisonment, and each count of carjacking is punishable by up to 25 years in federal prison. The charge of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and relation to a crime of violence carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, as well as a mandatory sentence of at least 7 years’ imprisonment if the government proves that the firearm was brandished, which sentence must be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.


title: Lackawanna County Man Pleads Guilty To Drug And Firearm Offense

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Moises Vargas-Olivio, age 22, of Olyphant, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on March 9, 2023, before U.S. District Court Judge Malachy Mannion, to the charge of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Vargas-Olivio admitted to possessing a loaded .357 Magnum revolver, a loaded .22 caliber handgun, and an illegal “sawed-off” shotgun with a barrel less than 18 inches in length, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The charge stems from an incident on May 22, 2022, in which Lackawanna County Detectives and members of the Olyphant Police Department made a purchase of cocaine from Vargas-Olivio and then obtained a search warrant for Vargas-Olivio’s residence in Olyphant. A search of the residence resulted in the seizure of an additional amount of cocaine packaged for distribution, approximately $20,000 in U.S. currency, numerous pills, marijuana, two loaded handguns, and a loaded “sawed-off” shotgun. The charges against the defendant resulted from an investigation conducted by Lackawanna County Detectives, the Olyphant Police Department, and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force. Assistant United States Attorneys Robert J. O’Hara and Brian J. Gallagher are 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 the firearms charges, Vargas-Olivio faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison, a maximum sentence of life, a term of supervised release 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: U.S. Attorney’s Office Reaches ADA Settlement with SingleSpeed Brewing Co.

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: SingleSpeed Brewing Co., an Iowa corporation that owns and operates a facility at 325 Commercial Street in Waterloo, Iowa (the “Facility”), has agreed to settle a dispute with the United States regarding an allegation that it violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”). The settlement agreement resolves allegations that the Facility was noncompliant with the ADA’s accessibility requirements for public accommodations. As part of the settlement agreement, SingleSpeed has agreed to provide additional accessible seating to its seating spaces, standing spaces, and other dining surfaces. In addition, SingleSpeed has agreed to a number of additional alterations to its dining areas, entrances, and restrooms to come into compliance with ADA accessibility standards. Under federal law, private entities that own or operate places of “public accommodation,” including restaurants and bars, are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of disability. The ADA authorizes the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate complaints and undertake reviews of compliance of covered entities. The Justice Department is also authorized to commence a civil lawsuit in federal court in any case that involves a pattern or practice of discrimination or raises an issue of general public importance, and to seek injunctive relief, monetary damages, and civil penalties. U.S. Attorney Timothy T. Duax noted that SingleSpeed cooperated throughout this investigation. “The steps agreed to by SingleSpeed will give individuals with disabilities the same opportunity to enjoy what SingleSpeed has to offer, as required by the ADA. We hope others will continue to take their ADA obligations seriously as our office remains committed to ensuring that individuals with disabilities have full and equal access to places of public accommodation in the Northern District of Iowa.” This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Gillespie. Any member of the public who wishes to file a complaint alleging that any place of public accommodation or public entity in the Northern District of Iowa is not accessible to persons with disabilities may file a complaint online at www.ada.gov or directly with the U.S. Attorney’s Office at https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndia/civil-rights-environmental-justice . Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Man Pleads Guilty for his role in a Delaware County Murder

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: A man who took part in a shooting that led to the death of one man and the injury of a woman pleaded guilty in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. Dakota Chase Buzzard, 21, of Grove, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to carry, use, brandish, and discharge a firearm during and relation to a crime of violence. Buzzard admitted in a plea agreement that he agreed with others to carry and use a .22 caliber rifle to confront victim Jerry Tapp at his home in Delaware County. Tapp was killed during the confrontation. The other two individuals allegedly involved in the killing were the defendant’s brother Cody Dwayne Buzzard, 29, and his father James William Buzzard, 50. On Aug. 1, 2019, the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call reporting a shooting near Jay. Deputies discovered Jerry Tapp deceased in his front yard. It appeared that Tapp sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his body and that a second victim had sustained a gunshot wound to her arm. According to court documents, the victim told investigators that she heard a noise outside the home early that morning and thought Tapp had forgotten his keys to the house. When she turned on the light and opened the door, she heard gunfire and felt a sudden pain in her right wrist. She then shut and locked the front door, crawled to another room, and called 911. The three defendants were later charged with the crime. On Aug. 11, 2022, Cody Buzzard pleaded guilty to second degree murder in Indian Country and conspiracy to carry, use, brandish, and discharge a firearm during and relation to a crime of violence. James Buzzard is currently scheduled for trial in April. He is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. See indictment press release here . The FBI, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and Delaware County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Reagan V. Reininger is prosecuting the case.


title: Honduran National Pleads Guilty  and Sentenced to Time Served for Illegal Re-Entry After Deportation

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – NORMAN GARCIA- GARCIA (“ GARCIA-GARCIA ”), age 24, was sentenced on March 7, 2023 for illegal reentry of a removed alien in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to court documents, GARCIA-GARCIA admitted to reentering the United States after being previously deported on February 23, 2018. GARCIA-GARCIA was sentenced by the Honorable Susie Morgan, U.S. District Judge, Eastern District of Louisiana, to time served, which was over four months. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carter K. D. Guice, Jr. is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Jenks Man Pleads Guilty After Groping a Girl in a Store and Later Following Another Girl and Burglarizing her Home

body_text: A man who restrained and groped a girl at a Dollar General store where he worked and who followed another girl home from a school bus stop then burglarized her family’s home pleaded guilty today in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. William Mark Parnell, 21, pleaded guilty to Attempted Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor in Indian Country and Second Degree Burglary in Indian Country. On June 1, 2021, Parnell admitted that he was working at a Dollar General in Glenpool when he saw a minor female walk inside. He followed the girl down an aisle then grabbed her from behind, placing one hand over her mouth and another hand down her pants. He told the minor to be quiet and move. He stated that when he tried to turn the girl to face him, she was able to escape. He admitted that he intended to engage in sexual contact with the victim. On May 16, 2022, Parnell followed a different girl from a bus stop and broke into her family’s home in Tulsa. The child fled to a neighbor’s house just prior to Parnell’s entry. Parnell admitted that while inside, he stole a firearm. Shortly after, Parnell discarded the stolen firearm in a pond to conceal it from law enforcement. Parnell was later identified and arrested, and the firearm was recovered from the pond in a joint effort by Muscogee Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police and Tulsa Police. The FBI, Tulsa Police Department, Glenpool Police Department, and the Muscogee Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam C. Bailey and Stacey P. Todd are prosecuting the case.


title: Repeat Child Pornography Defendant Sentenced

component: Criminal - Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake man was sentenced today to ten years in prison for possession of child pornography. According to court documents, David Hooke, 48, previously was convicted in 2016 in Franklin (Virginia) Circuit Court for possession of child pornography. After serving a brief period in jail, Hooke moved into the Onesimus Transition Center (OTC), a residential facility in Chesapeake for men who have been released from prison. In March 2021, the FBI received information that a computer user at OTC was sharing images of child pornography. In September 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at OTC. Hooke, who was on state supervision at the time, admitted to sharing images of child pornography online, and an analysis of his computers revealed numerous images of child pornography. During the execution of the search warrant, another OTC resident and convicted sex offender, Morris Guy Warren, was also found to be in possession of child pornography. Warren was sentenced in federal court to ten years’ imprisonment in December 2022. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kenneth A. Polite Jr., Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; and Mark G. Solesky, Chief of Chesapeake Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Yusi and Trial Attorney Adam Braskich of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) 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 U.S. Attorney’s Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-61.


title: Tulsa Man Convicted of Carjacking Resulting in Death

body_text: A defendant who took part in multiple carjackings that resulted in the murder of a Tulsa man in 2016 pleaded guilty in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. Emmitt Graywolf Sam, 24, pleaded guilty to carjacking resulting in death. In his plea agreement, Sam admitted that in the early morning hours of June 25, 2016, he and another individual carried firearms and committed several carjackings and robberies. Afterward, the two men drove a stolen black Ford Focus to the 8500 block of East 26th St. in Tulsa. Sam admitted that the men then attempted to carjack victim Jonathan Stephens who was standing next to his Chrysler Pacifica. He further stated that during the attempted carjacking, Stephens was shot and killed by the other individual. The two men then fled the scene in the stolen black Ford Focus and committed several more armed robberies and carjackings. Sam will be sentenced at a later date. The FBI and Tulsa and Broken Arrow Police Departments conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John E. Brasher is prosecuting the case.


title: Greenfield Felon Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal Prison After Breaking into a Hancock County Home, Stealing 25 Firearms, and Selling Them

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- William Campbell, 32, of Greenfield, Indiana, has been sentenced to 8 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to illegally possessing firearms as a convicted felon. According to court documents, on February 8, 2021, Campbell and another individual broke into a Hancock County residence and stole 25 firearms. Campbell then sold the firearms to another individual. As of today, only 8 of the firearms have been recovered by law enforcement officers. Campbell is prohibited from lawfully possessing any firearm due to his three previous felony convictions for theft and drug offenses. Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana and Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Columbus Field Division made the announcement. “Trafficking of stolen guns fuels the violence that devastates so many families,” said U.S. Attorney Myers. “Criminals like this defendant are part of the reason why so many firearms end up in the hands of dangerous criminals. The sentence imposed here demonstrates that those who violate our homes and endanger our neighbors will be held accountable.” ATF investigated this case with valuable assistance provided by the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge, Chief Tanya Walton Pratt. Judge Pratt also ordered that Campbell be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years following his release from federal prison. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Abhi Kambli, how prosecuted this case. ###


title: Alexandria Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Distribute Thousands of Fentanyl Pills

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Alexandria man was sentenced today to 135 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute thousands of counterfeit pressed pills containing fentanyl in northern Virginia. According to court documents, Alpha Amin Kamara, 25, engaged in a conspiracy to distribute thousands of fentanyl pills from May 2022 until his arrest on June 26, 2022. Kamara was serving a term of home confinement when he entered the conspiracy, following his release from the custody of the Bureau of Prisons just days earlier. He immediately began distributing fentanyl pills to customers in northern Virginia, which he obtained through the U.S. Postal Service from sources in Arizona and Washington state. On June 26, 2022, while driving a stolen vehicle, Kamara led police on a chase at speeds in excess of 140 miles per hour on Interstate 95. The resulting crash led to the discovery of over 18,000 fentanyl pills in the back of the stolen vehicle. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge T. S. Ellis, III. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachael C. Tucker prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:22-cr-175.


title: Indianapolis Man Charged in Federal Indictment for Two Armed Robberies, Armed Carjacking and Firearms Offenses

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS – A federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment charging George Landy, 52, of Indianapolis, with interference with commerce by robbery, attempted interference with commerce by robbery, carjacking, two counts of carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. As charged in the indictment, on October 24, 2022, Landy carjacked a woman outside a Dollar Tree store in Lawrence, Indiana. Landy approached the woman as she got into her car, displayed a firearm in his waistband, and ordered that she move to the passenger seat. Landy drove the woman to a bank and forced her to withdraw $500 from her account. Landy then drove the victim to the IndyGo Transit Center in downtown Indianapolis. Landy left her at the transit center and drove away in the stolen vehicle, with the victim’s money, jewelry, debit card, and driver’s license. The victim immediately called 911 and reported the carjacking. The next day, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Officers (IMPD) located the stolen vehicle near Landy’s residence and observed him open the door using a key. When police approached Landy, he fled on foot and threw a firearm on the ground as he ran. Landy was apprehended, and police recovered the firearm. Landy is charged with illegally possessing the firearm following a felony conviction. After Landy’s arrest, investigators linked him to two other violent crimes in Indianapolis; an armed robbery at a Family Dollar store on October 16, 2022, and an attempted armed robbery at a McDonald’s on October 23, 2022. Landy was armed with a firearm during both crimes. During the attempted armed robbery at the McDonald’s, Landy fired two shots into the restaurant. No one was injured. If convicted on all counts, Landy faces up to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine the actual sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Columbus Field Division, Randal Taylor, Chief of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, and Gary Woodruff, Chief of the Lawrence Police Department, made the announcement. The investigation is being led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, and the Lawrence Police Department. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelsey Massa, who is prosecuting this case. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Colorado Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken has sentenced a Broomfield, Colorado, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on March 3, 2023. Edward Ybarra, 43, was sentenced to 15 years and eight months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Edward Ybarra was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in July of 2022. He pleaded guilty on November 18, 2022. During his involvement in the conspiracy Edward Ybarra was living in Colorado. He supplied methamphetamine to Jordan Condon and Elias Condon who transported it to South Dakota. Once the methamphetamine arrived in South Dakota it was further distributed to others for use and distribution. Between five kilograms and 15 kilograms of methamphetamine was distributed during the conspiracy. Jordan Condon and Elias Condon are currently awaiting trial. This case was investigated by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET), Rapid City Police Department, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. UNET is comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the South Dakota National Guard. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case. Ybarra was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Berwick Man Sentenced To 48 Months’ Imprisonment For Committing Aggravated Identity Theft While Serving A Term Of Federal Supervised Release

body_text: SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Justin William Davis, age 39, of Berwick, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on March 9, 2023, by United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, to 24 months’ imprisonment for aggravated identity theft, as engaged in as part of a so-called mail “fishing” scheme. Individuals involved in the scheme used improvised devices to pull mail from United States Post Office collection boxes in the hope of stealing checks and other valuable instruments. These items were then “washed” (a chemical fluid is utilized to erase the ink) and re-written to reflect a new payee and a new, higher monetary amount, before being cashed or deposited into the bank accounts of co-conspirators for later withdrawal. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, from approximately August 19, 2021 through November 2, 2021, Davis orchestrated the above-described type of “fishing” scheme, utilizing a group of associates whom he paid to go into various banks in Luzerne and Lackawanna County and cash the checks for him. In all, Davis was involved in the fishing, washing and fraudulent negotiation of approximately 70 checks, and was able–with the assistance of the intermediaries–to successfully negotiate checks totaling $49,148.48. At his sentencing, Davis was ordered to pay restitution in that amount to the victim banks who reimbursed the persons whose checks were stolen, altered, and fraudulently negotiated. Because Davis engaged in this new criminal conduct while serving a term of federal supervised release that was imposed in connection with a similar prior criminal case, Judge Mannion also sentenced Davis to a consecutive 24-month term of imprisonment on the supervised release violation, resulting in a total aggregate sentence of 48 months’ imprisonment. This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffery St John prosecuted the case. # # #


title: Honduran National Pleads Guilty and Sentenced for Using Another Individual’s Social  Security Number to Secure Employment

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – ELTON JOHN MEJIA EUCEDA , age 22, a citizen of Honduras, pled guilty yesterday to illegally using a social security number belonging to another individual, in violation of Title 42, United States Code, Section 408(a)(7)(B), announced United States Attorney Duane A. Evans According to documents filed in federal court, the defendant used a social security number belonging to another individual to secure employment with a local business. The defendant pled guilty before United States District Judge Susie Morgan and was sentenced to one year of probation and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Department of Homeland Security in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Richard R. Pickens, II of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Monroeville Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to more than 4 Years Federal Prison

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA -- A resident of Monroeville Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 51 months imprisonment and five years of supervised release on his conviction of violating federal narcotics laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan imposed the sentence on Damon Johnson, age 33. According to information presented to the court, Johnson conspired to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl between September 2020 and December 2021. Johnson sold some of the fentanyl to another distributer, who then sold it to an individual who suffered a fatal overdose after ingesting the fentanyl. Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Johnson.


title: Colchester Man Admits Defrauding Technology Company

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that MYRON WARE, 49, of Colchester, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to defrauding a computer technology company. According to court documents and statements made in court, between 2017 and 2020, Ware identified companies and organizations that previously had purchased computer parts and components from a Texas-based computer technology company. On approximately 30 occasions, Ware contacted the victim company and falsely represented himself to be speaking on behalf of a customer he had identified. Ware typically reported that a previously delivered part or component was not functional and requested a replacement. After the victim company shipped a replacement item to an address Ware had provided, and which was in the vicinity of the customer he was posing as, he traveled to the address to receive delivery of the package. Ware sold most of the parts and components he received to others and kept some for his own use. Ware stole tens of thousands of dollars in products from the victim company through this scheme. Ware pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. He is released on bond pending sentencing, which is not scheduled. This investigation has been conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Secret Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Boyles.


title: SOUTH CAROLINA MAN SENTENCED FOR RECEIVING AMMUNITION WHILE UNDER FELONY INDICTMENT

body_text: United States Attorney Nicholas Vassallo announced today that CHRISTOPHER RAY EDWARDS , age 37, of Rock Hill, South Carolina, was sentenced on March 8, 2023, by Chief United States District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl to 70 months’ imprisonment with three years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment, for receiving ammunition while under a felony indictment. Edwards was charged with being a felon in possession of ammunition, possession of firearm not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record and receiving ammunition while under a felony indictment. As part of a plea agreement, Edwards pleaded guilty to the receiving-ammunition charge. On June 4, 2022, Wyoming Highway Patrol pulled over Christopher Edwards while he was driving on Interstate 80 in Albany County for suspicion of driving under the influence. Troopers searched the vehicle and discovered a homemade AR-15 style rifle and multiple rounds of various ammunition. A subsequent criminal history check revealed that Edwards had several prior felony convictions and was under indictment in South Carolina for another felony. This crime was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Wyoming Highway Patrol. Assistant United States Attorney T.J. Forwood prosecuted the case. Case No. 22-CR-00054-ABJ