title: Baltimore Man Sentenced To 30 Years In Prison For Attempting To Kill A Federal Witness

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Nicholas Preddy, age 32, Baltimore, Maryland, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner to 30 years in federal prison for attempting to kill an individual who Preddy believed was cooperating with federal authorities. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Preddy’s sentencing was part of an almost seven-year investigation into murders of three individuals that occurred on June 25, 2016, on a property along Welsh Run Road in Mercersburg, Franklin County. When Pennsylvania State Police officers were called to the crime scene, they found the bodies of Wendy Ann Chaney, 39, Hagerstown, Md, Brandon Cole, 47, Fayetteville, PA, and Phillip Matthew Jackson, 36, Mercersburg, PA, in a barn on victim Jackson’s property. All were shot. The three victims had their hands zipped-tied behind their backs and had been set on fire. Jackson and Cole were shot once in the head. Chaney was shot twice, once in the back and once in the neck. Wendy Chaney and Brandon Cole were already dead when the police responded to the scene. Phillip Jackson was transported to York Hospital where he died shortly after arrival. The evidence established that Wendy Chaney was in a relationship with Torey White and a coconspirator and had been previously assisting both with their drug distribution operations. White and co-coconspirator Kevin Coles learned that Chaney was cooperating with federal authorities and contracted for her to be murdered. Co-defendants Jerell Adgebesan and Kenyatta Corbett recruited members of a Baltimore based gang known as the Black Guerilla Family and others from Baltimore to travel to the Jackson property to kill Wendy Chaney. The killers were promised that they could take as payment $20,000 that was to be in a safe in the barn and any drugs and firearms that they could locate on the Jackson property. Once there, the killers encountered not only Wendy Chaney but also Brandon Cole and Phillip Jackson. Chaney was killed to protect the drug trafficking activities of Coles, and his co-conspirators. Jackson and Cole were murdered to prevent them from being witnesses to the crimes of violence that were committed at the Jackson property. The killers never found any money on the property but stole some drugs and firearms. Preddy went along with the killers to the Jackson property aware of the groups purpose but waited outside in a van and did not participate in the killings. In the Spring of 2017 when the investigation into the triple murders focused on all of the actors from Baltimore, Preddy and the other Baltimore defendants who participated in the killings believed that one of their co-conspirators was cooperating with federal authorities. Preddy and others attempted to kidnap and kill the individual they suspected of cooperating to protect themselves from prosecution for the triple murders. The intended victim escaped unharmed. The following individuals were charged along with Preddy as a result of the investigation: Kevin Coles, age 37, of New York and Hagerstown, Maryland, was sentenced to three consecutive terms of life imprisonment for multiple crimes, including murder for hire, robbery, and drug trafficking; Jerell Adgebesan, age 35, of Baltimore and Hagerstown, Maryland, pled guilty in June 2022 to Hobbs Act robbery and to being an accomplice to the use of a firearm during Hobbs Act robbery. Judge Conner sentenced Adgebesan in February 2023 to life imprisonment and a consecutive 10-year term of imprisonment; Mark Johnson, 35, Baltimore, Maryland, pled guilty to obstructing the grand jury’s investigation and was sentenced to 110 months’ imprisonment; Terrance Lawson, age 31, Baltimore, sentenced to time served for attempting to intimidate a witness; Tyrone Armstrong, age 30, Baltimore, sentenced to time served for attempting to intimidate a witness; Torey White, age 32, of Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, was convicted on three counts of murdering three individuals and is awaiting sentencing; Devin Dickerson, age 31, Hagerstown, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin and crack cocaine and is awaiting sentencing; Kenyatta Corbett, age 38, Hagerstown, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and to being an accomplice to the use of a firearm during Hobbs Act robbery and is awaiting sentencing; Michael Buck, age 30, Hagerstown, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and to being an accomplice to the use of a firearm during Hobbs Act robbery and is awaiting sentencing; Johnnie Jenkins-Armstrong, age 22, Baltimore, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and to being an accomplice to the use of a firearm during Hobbs Act robbery and is awaiting sentencing; Christopher Johnson, age 31, Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty to multiple counts including murder for hire and is awaiting sentencing; Llesenia Woodard, 46, Hagerstown, Maryland, pled guilty to providing false testimony to the grand jury investigating the murders and is awaiting sentencing; and Yolanda Diaz, 31, Hagerstown, was indicted on multiple counts of perjury and obstruction of justice based upon her testimony at the Coles trial. Her trial is currently scheduled for May 2023. Joshua Davis, age 30, previously pled guilty to participating in the conspiracy to locate and kill an individual believed to be cooperating with federal authorities in the investigation of the triple murders. Davis was sentenced to serve 100 months’ imprisonment. The following federal, state and local law enforcement agencies participated in the investigation: Drug Enforcement Administration Harrisburg Resident Office; Pennsylvania State Police, Chambersburg; Pennsylvania State Police, Troop H; Franklin County Drug Task Force; Franklin County Adult Probation; Pennsylvania State Probation and Parole; Hagerstown Police Department, Criminal Investigation Division; Drug Enforcement Administration, Hagerstown Resident Office; Washington County Narcotics Task Force; Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office, Strike Force Group 1; Maryland State Police Homicide Unit; Baltimore Police Department Narcotics, Fugitive And Homicide Units; Baltimore County Police Department Narcotics and Gang Unit; Federal Bureau of Investigation Evidence Management Unit, Quantico, VA; U.S. Marshal’s Service Harrisburg, PA and Phoenix, AZ; Franklin County District Attorney’s Office; United States Attorney’s Office, District Of Maryland; and the Washington County State’s Attorney’s Office. Judy Fernandez, Manager of Analytic Services at LexisNexis Special Services, Inc., (LNSSI) provided expert assistance to investigators and the prosecutors in the areas of analysis, support, and the rendering of her expert opinion. Assistant United States Attorney William A. Behe, Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, and Senior Litigation Counsel Michael Consiglio prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation identified as “Retribution for Welsh Run.” OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. # # #


title: Suburban Chicago Man Guilty of Possessing Child Pornography

component: USAO - Illinois, Northern

body_text: CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man admitted in federal court that he illegally possessed more than 3,000 videos and images depicting children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. MIGUEL ASCENCIOS, also known as “Allison Wou,” 55, of Burr Ridge, Ill., pleaded guilty Tuesday to a federal charge of receipt of child pornography. The conviction is punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a maximum of up to 20 years. U.S. District Judge Robert W. Gettleman set sentencing for Aug. 22, 2023. Ascencios admitted in a plea agreement that in 2017 and 2018 he used social media and a file-sharing service to receive and share computer files depicting child pornography. Among the thousands of files he possessed were videos depicting the sexual exploitation of toddlers, the plea agreement states. Two ten-year-old children depicted in the images and videos have been identified as known child victims by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The Court at sentencing will determine the amount of restitution owed to victims. The guilty plea was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Ruth M. Mendonça, Inspector-in-Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Substantial assistance was provided by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, the Los Angeles Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the U.S. Marshals Service. The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Malgorzata Tracz Kozaka. If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by logging on to www.missingkids.com or by calling 1-800-843-5678. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.


title: Former Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor Sentenced to Over 7 Years in Prison for Executing a Multimillion Dollar Ponzi Scheme

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – Shawn Edward Good of Wilmington, was sentenced today to 87 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for carrying out a $7 million dollar investment fraud scheme. Good pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering on September 15, 2022. Good was also ordered to pay $3,619,594 in restitution to victims. “This investment advisor was a financial predator who used his position of trust to run a decade-long Ponzi scheme that took in more than $7 million from over a dozen clients,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Shawn Good robbed the savings and retirements of clients who trusted him – including a widow, a single mom, and a retired police officer. He did it out of pure greed, to fuel his lavish lifestyle – purchasing luxury cars, exotic vacations and real estate. His scheme has finally come to an end thanks to the unshakable courage of the victims and the hard work of law enforcement at the IRS and the SBI. Faced with a choice between right and wrong, Mr. Good chose wrong. Now he will spend the next seven-plus years in federal prison.” “The IRS uses all its investigative tools to uncover abusive tax schemes that misappropriate client funds for personal gain by advisors and brokers,” said Donald “Trey” Eakins, IRS Criminal Investigation, Charlotte Field Office. “Investment schemes that seem too good to be true should be a signal to investors to stay clear. The IRS is actively pursuing promoters as well as investors who knowingly participate in these types of tax avoidance schemes." “The SBI’s Financial Crimes Unit is proud to have joined the efforts in this investigation to help bring about closure and justice to the victims. As for the individuals who intentionally target vulnerable populations in their fraudulent schemes, they should anticipate we will always pursue justice vigorously on behalf of those we serve and protect” said North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Director Robert Schurmeier. According to court documents and information presented in court, Good was employed as a registered representative and investment advisor for Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, LLC in Wilmington. From 2012 to February 2022, Good executed a scheme to obtain money through an investment fraud commonly known as a Ponzi scheme. Specifically, Good solicited investments from business clients and others for purported real estate projects and tax-free municipal bonds, touting these opportunities as low-risk investments that would pay returns of between 6% and 10% over three- or six-month terms. To effectuate these investments, Good caused some clients to obtain a liquid asset line of credit (LAL) secured by their Morgan Stanley investment or retirement accounts. Good directed clients to transfer the LAL funds to their personal bank accounts and then wire the funds directly to Good’s own personal bank account. Other victims paid Good by paper check and wire transfers using funds derived from sources other than Morgan Stanley accounts. At least 12 victims invested approximately $7,246,300 based on false statements and misrepresentations made by Good. Instead of investing in land development or bonds, Good used the money for personal expenditures including his Wilmington residence; a condominium in Florida; luxury vehicles including a Mercedes Benz, a Porsche Boxster, a Tesla Model 3, an Alpha Romeo Stelvio, and a Lexus RX350; fine dining; and vacations to Paris, France; Cinca Terra, Italy; Jackson, Wyoming; Las Vegas, Nevada; and other destinations. To lend credibility to the Ponzi scheme and to elude detection, Good also used a portion of investor funds to make payments to earlier investors. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge James C. Dever, III. Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation Financial Crimes Unit investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Toby Lathan served as the prosecutor. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:22-CR-00096-D. ###


title: Armed Robber Sentenced to More Than 38 Years in Federal Prison

body_text: NEW BERN, N.C. – Frank Giles McCree, of Fairmont, was sentenced today to 457 months in prison after four armed robberies of Robeson County businesses while wearing a wig of fake dreadlocks, a Jamaican style beanie and a dark hooded sweatshirt. On August 5, 2021, McCree was found guilty following a federal trial. McCree was convicted of 13 separate charges, including four counts of Hobbs Act Robbery, four counts of Use and Carry of a Firearm in Relation to a Crime of Violence and one count of Firearm by a Felon. According to court documents and other information presented in court, McCree, 35, committed a series of robberies in Robeson County in June 2016. McCree robbed three different Family Dollar stores and one Dollar General store at gun point. McCree would pretend to make a purchase and would wait until the cash drawer was opened by a clerk and then would brandish a firearm. Threatening to shoot or kill the clerks, McCree would steal the entire drawer from the cash registers and demand that the clerks open the safes, from which he would also steal money. During two of the robberies, he also stole the store’s phone to make it more difficult to contact law enforcement and report the crimes. On June 29, 2016, McCree was the passenger in a car that was pulled over for a traffic violation. The car also matched the description of the car leaving the scene of the first Family Dollar robbery. When law enforcement spoke to the driver and McCree, law enforcement noticed a dreadlock wig in the glove compartment. McCree and the driver were removed from the car. In the middle of the passenger floorboard, at McCree’s feet, was a loaded, .40 Hi-Point Firearm. Also located in the car was the distinct Jamaican style beanie identified as being worn by the robber. McCree was taken into custody following the traffic stop. While in custody, McCree made a phone to a family member asking them to get in touch with his girlfriend to get rid of something under her bed. When law enforcement went to her home, they found a Family Dollar bag with change in it, in bank rolls consistent with how the Family Dollar gets its coins from the bank. In an interview, McCree admitted possession of the firearm and said he had borrowed it from a friend for protection. McCree was previously convicted on state charges. In 2007, McCree was convicted of Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon. In 2009, McCree was convicted of Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon and Attempted Common Law Robbery also in 2009. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the sentencing was concluded. U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan presided over the trial and sentencing. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Rowland Police Department, Maxton Police Department, Robeson County Sheriff’s Office, and St. Pauls Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charity Wilson prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:17-cr-00134-FL-1.


title: Prolific mail thief who allegedly stole postal vehicles and postal keys arrested on federal charges

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – The suspect in a series of mail vehicle and mail key thefts was arrested today on a federal complaint charging him with theft of mail and possession of stolen mail, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Johny Mixayboua, 27, is accused of a string of mail theft incidents involving stolen postal vehicles, stolen postal keys, mail theft, and associated crimes such as identity theft. Mixayboua will appear in U.S. District Court in Seattle at 2:00 today. According to the criminal complaint, on December 28, 2022, a U.S. Postal Service vehicle was stolen from the 6300 block of South Bangor Street in Seattle. In the vehicle was a postal key that is used to access the cluster mailbox units in the 98178 zip code. The key allows the postal worker to open the back of the cluster box to deliver mail to multiple households. Since the theft of the vehicle and postal key, there have been numerous reports of cluster boxes in zip code 98178 being opened and mail stolen. Working with neighbors, the Postal Inspection Service was able to get door camera footage showing the person accessing the postal boxes. Neighbors reported credit cards being stolen and attempts being made to use them. Inspectors were able to review images from when the credit card attempts occurred and ultimately identified Mixayboua as the person stealing the mail and attempting to use the stolen credit cards. Additionally, local law enforcement determined that vehicles used in a number of the mail theft incidents were reported stolen. On January 17, 2023, two more Postal Service vehicles were stolen. One in the 3000 block of Beach Drive SW and a second one in the 3600 block of 57 th SW. Both are in zip code 98116. Using doorbell camera footage from the block where one of the vehicles were recovered, investigators allegedly saw Mixayboua removing mail and parcels from the stolen postal vehicle and putting them in another vehicle. Again, law enforcement traced credit cards stolen from the mail and obtained surveillance footage that appears to show Mixayboua attempting to make purchases with the credit cards. On January 30, 2023, a fourth postal vehicle was stolen – this time from the 2000 block of S. Columbian Way in Seattle. On March 28, 2023, a fifth postal vehicle was stolen from the 5700 block of S. 129 th Ave. One of the people associated with the theft matches a description of Mixayboua. In late January and February, the mail theft incidents continued -- this time in the Snoqualmie, Washington area. The cluster boxes were opened with either a counterfeit or authentic postal key. Again, credit cards were stolen, and one was linked to images of Mixayboua making purchases at Target. Throughout April, mail thefts continued from as far north as Lake Forest Park and as far south as southeast Seattle. The postal service halted deliveries in zip code 98118 for about a week while investigators worked to track down and arrest Mixayboua. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) has worked diligently to get Mixayboua and his coconspirators into custody. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elyne Vaught.


title: Two Plead Guilty to Federal Wire Fraud Connected to Scheme to Defraud The Department of Veteran Affairs

component: Office of the Inspector General

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JAMES “JAY” SINYARD , age 61, and MARY “GIGI” SINYARD , age 58, have each pled guilty in federal court relating to their roles in a wire fraud scheme to defraud the Department of Veterans Affairs. JAMES SINYARD and MARY SINYARD pled guilty on May 18, 2023 before Chief U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown to a one count bill of information charging them with wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343. According to the bill of information, VetAttend of Jackson was located in Jackson, Mississippi. Beginning on or about April 2013 and continuing until at least December 2020, the SINYARDS did knowingly devise a scheme to defraud the Department of Veterans Affairs by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises, by creating false affidavits claiming services had been provided by VetAttend to veterans in need of home aid and attendance. To effectuate this scheme, the SINYARDs submitted over one hundred applications for veterans and/or their surviving spouses to the Department of Veterans Affairs, falsely indicating that VetAttend of Jackson was already providing services to these veterans. As a result of these fictitious affidavits, from approximately August 2014 to approximately December 2020, the VA issued funds to over 70 veterans and/or their surviving spouses from whom VetAttend of Jackson misappropriated approximately $2,136,329.68 in fraudulent funds relating to the false affidavits of services provided. “Today’s guilty plea sends a clear message to those who would exploit veterans to commit fraud that they will be investigated and held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Kris Raper with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s South-Central Field Office. The Court set sentencing of JAMES SINYARD and MARY SINYARD for September 28, 2023. Each defendant faces a possible maximum term of imprisonment of twenty years, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three (3) years supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee . The U.S. Attorney’s Office praised the work of the Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of Inspector General. The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Kathryn McHugh, Financial Crimes Unit.


title: Mason County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Rowdy Lee Randolph, 39, of Leon, was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute marijuana. According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 4, 2020, law enforcement officers searched Randolph’s property in Leon and seized six marijuana plants from his yard and approximately 1.5 pounds of marijuana from his residence. Randolph admitted to growing marijuana on his property and selling it for money. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police and the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:20-cr-150. ###


title: New York Man Sentenced to 2 Years for Firearm Charge

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

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A New York man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Camby Wilson , 22, to 24 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. According to court records, in March 2022, an officer with the Augusta Police Department stopped a vehicle in which Wilson was a passenger. Wilson provided officers with a false name and date of birth, and officers asked him to step out of the vehicle. When an officer asked him if he had any weapons on him, he ran away from the officers. They chased him on foot and were able to apprehend him after a brief pursuit. Officers found a loaded .380 caliber pistol in his jacket pocket. A 2019 conviction in New York precluded him from possessing a firearm. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Augusta Police Department investigated the case. ###


title: Youngstown man sentenced to 12 years for drug trafficking

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – A Youngstown, Ohio, man was sentenced today to more than 12 years in prison for supplying methamphetamine and fentanyl to northern West Virginia. Kamron Eugene Miller, Sr., 36, will serve 152 months of incarceration for his role as a leader in a drug conspiracy. The investigation revealed that Miller supplied a co-conspirator nearly a kilogram of crystal methamphetamine along with 21 grams of fentanyl which was then redistributed in Hancock County. When agents searched Miller’s Youngstown residence, they found more than 300 grams of cocaine, 206 grams of fentanyl, a loaded assault rifle, a loaded pistol, and over $60,000 in cash. In total, agents seized more than $310,000 in cash during the investigation. The Hancock-Brooke-Weirton Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Drug Enforcement Administration (Wheeling and Youngstown); and the Ohio State Highway Patrol investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn M. Adkins prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Marshall County Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Ohio Valley Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; and the Mahoning County, Ohio, Sheriff’s Office assisted. U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.


title: Maine Man Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding Clients

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK - Sean O’Hare, age 55, of South Portland, Maine, was sentenced today to a year and a day in prison in connection with a scheme to defraud his tax preparation clients. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), made the announcement. In previously pleading guilty, O’Hare, a former tax preparer and accountant, admitted that he defrauded his clients who trusted him to prepare their tax filings and remit their tax payments. From March 2011 through September 2016, O’Hare filed quarterly sales and use tax returns with the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance that understated the amount of sales and use tax owed by three companies. O’Hare collected the full amount of taxes owed from the companies and stole the difference between the amount of tax remitted to the State of New York and the amount he received from each company. O’Hare admitted to fraudulently obtaining $131,758 from the scheme. Senior United States District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn also ordered O’Hare to serve a 2-year term of supervised release following his release from prison, and ordered full restitution, which O’Hare paid today. The USPIS, with assistance from the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander P. Wentworth-Ping prosecuted this case.


title: Columbus Man with Criminal History Pleads Guilty to Stolen Gun Charge

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ga. – A Columbus resident with a lengthy criminal history pleaded guilty to possessing a stolen firearm after leading a state trooper on a high-speed chase while he was wanted on multiple state warrants. Carlos Mathis, 35, pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen firearm before U.S. District Judge Clay Land on May 23. Mathis faces a maximum of ten years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a maximum $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 8. There is no parole in the federal system. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will hold armed repeat and violent offenders accountable when they have stolen guns or illegally possess firearms,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “In collaboration with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to use every resource available to improve community safety.” “Criminals must understand that there are serious repercussions for the illegal possession of firearms. ATF and our law enforcement partners will contribute all necessary time and effort to ensure criminals are brought to justice,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka. According to court documents, at approximately 1:00 a.m. on Oct. 2, 2022, a Georgia Department of Public Safety officer attempted to pull over a vehicle traveling 112 mph on I-185 in Muscogee County, Georgia. The vehicle increased its speed, made improper lane changes and abruptly exited the interstate at Manchester Expressway, narrowly missing another vehicle. The fleeing vehicle careened out of control and stuck a concrete median before spinning around and traveling the wrong way (going west in the eastbound lanes) down Manchester Expressway towards the I-185 exit ramp. To prevent a catastrophic collision, the trooper employed a pit maneuver to disable the vehicle. The vehicle came to a stop in the roadway and the driver, Mathis, fled from the vehicle into a wooded area and was quickly apprehended without further incident. A stolen and loaded Sig Sauer 9mm pistol was found on the driver’s side floorboard. A backpack was located behind the passenger seat which contained three large bags of marijuana and a digital scale with residue on it. Mathis was wanted on several outstanding warrants at the time. He has multiple state felony convictions in Georgia including criminal attempt to commit a felony, giving an inmate a prohibited item without authorization, burglary and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm. This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. The case was investigated by the Georgia Department of Safety, the Columbus Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorney Crawford Seals is prosecuting the case for the government.


title: Columbia Man Sentenced to 56 Months in Federal Prison for Possession of Firearms and Ammunition

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA —Tavares Cromer, 29, of Columbia, was sentenced to 56 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Felon. Evidence presented to the Court showed that on May 10, 2022, the City of Columbia Police Department (CPD) responded to a shooting on Bailey St. and found multiple fired shell casings. CPD investigators recovered surveillance video from Bailey St. that showed Cromer and an accomplice discharging a firearm at unknown individuals before fleeing the scene. CPD officers compared Cromer’s position in the video to the location of the recovered shell casings and determined that Cromer left behind .40 caliber shell casings. On May 13, 2022, officers with the CPD Crime Gun Intelligence Unit executed a search warrant at Cromer’s residence. Cromer was present at the residence and was wearing the same shirt he had on in the surveillance video of the shooting. At the residence, officers recovered two firearms and multiple calibers of ammunition in his bedroom. The .40 caliber ammunition found in his bedroom was the same brand as the ammunition Cromer left at the shooting scene. During this incident, Cromer was on court-ordered supervision for a prior federal conviction for Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Additionally, Cromer had prior state convictions for Strong Arm Robbery, Burglary 2 nd Degree, and Assault and Battery 1 st Degree. All of those federal and state convictions prohibited Cromer from possessing a firearm or ammunition. United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. sentenced Cromer to 56 months in prison, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. This case was investigated by the City of Columbia Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lamar J. Fyall is prosecuting the case. ###


title: South Carolina Return Preparer Pleads Guilty to Tax Fraud

body_text: COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — A Columbia, South Carolina, return preparer and regional manager of multiple tax preparation business locations pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to defraud the United States by preparing and filing false tax returns. According to court documents and statements made in court, Georgina Gonzalez, formerly of Miami, Florida, worked as a tax return preparer since at least 2013. For the 2016 and 2017 tax filing seasons, Gonzalez temporarily relocated from Florida to South Carolina to prepare tax returns and manage multiple locations of a tax preparation business located in Columbia, South Carolina. At these offices, Gonzalez conspired with others to inflate client refunds by preparing returns that falsely claimed, among other things, business losses, household help income, and American Opportunity and education tax credits. Gonzalez and her co-conspirators charged clients up to $999 for preparing each return. In total, Gonzalez caused a tax loss to the IRS of more than $420,000. Gonzalez is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date and faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, as well as a period of supervised release, restitution, and other monetary penalties. U.S. District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs for the District of South Carolina made the announcement. IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Ashley Stein, Francesca Bartolomey, and Jessica Kraft of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Winston Holliday of the District of South Carolina are prosecuting the case. ###


title: Reality Show Cast Member Pleads Guilty to 15 Felonies, Admits Multiple Frauds

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A reality show cast member and St. Louis, Missouri area radio personality on Wednesday pleaded guilty to 15 federal felonies and admitted committing tax fraud, bank fraud, insurance fraud and three separate pandemic fraud schemes. Brittish “Cierrah” Williams, 33, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey to five counts of misuse of a Social Security number, four counts of bank fraud, three counts of making false statements to the IRS and three counts of wire fraud. “British Williams has admitted an unusually large number of frauds that victimized taxpayers, banks, credit card companies, individuals and programs that were intended to help struggling businesses and employees during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming.” This is a first step towards justice for those victims. We will also be seeking repayment of all of her ill-gotten gains.” Williams admitted under-reporting her income on tax returns for 2017-2019 and falsely claiming a niece and nephew as dependents, thereby avoiding $29,366 in tax owed. Williams fraudulently used Social Security numbers not assigned to her to open accounts with credit card companies and banks, which resulted in losses of $28,537 to those creditors when she failed to pay them back. Williams also used those Social Security numbers to open bank accounts, then deposited thousands of dollars’ worth of checks taken from other peoples’ accounts without their knowledge and withdrew the money, causing another $23,850 in losses. In addition, included in Williams’ guilty plea as relevant conduct are three pandemic frauds and one insurance fraud. Williams admitted submitting nine applications for Economic Injury Disaster Loans, intended to help struggling business, four applications for the Paycheck Protection Program, which was intended to save jobs, and one application to a rent relief program in California. Williams’ disaster loan applications contained false information about business income and payroll, as well as her criminal history. She used the $144,400 in loans that resulted from two of the applications to fund her personal lifestyle, her plea agreement says. Williams also received $52,647 in PPP loans. On Jan. 3, 2022, Williams applied for the California COVID-19 Rent Relief program, falsely claiming that she was a California resident with a total annual household income of $50,000 and that she couldn’t pay her rent due to a “Reduction in hours of work” due to the pandemic, her plea agreement says. She had stopped paying rent in July of 2021. She received $27,801. Williams’ $3,803 rent was more than reimbursed by a $4,000 payment from the network that produces “Basketball Wives LA,” and her work hours and pay were not reduced by the pandemic, Williams admitted in her plea. Williams also submitted fake medical bills to at least one insurance company, resulting in $139,479.92 paid to her, co-conspirators or both. Finally, Williams has not filed annual tax returns since her indictment in October of 2021, and listed herself as “exempt” on a form with her current employer resulting in no taxes being withheld from her $90,000 salary, her plea says. The total known actual and intended losses from all the frauds and schemes, including the relevant conduct, is $446,082, her plea says. Williams is scheduled to be sentenced August 23. The charges of misusing a Social Security number and making false statements each carry a potential penalty of up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The bank fraud charges carry penalties of up to 30 years in prison, a $1 million fine or both. The wire fraud charges carry a penalty of up to 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, the Social Security Administration and the FBI. Special Assistant United States Attorney Diane Klocke is handling the case for the Eastern District of Missouri.


title: Summerville Man Sentenced to 8 years for Possession of Child Pornography

body_text: CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA — Justin Michael Beauvais, 39, of Summerville, was sentenced to 8 years in federal prison for possession of child pornography. Evidence presented to the Court showed that in October 2020, Beauvais was a subcontractor working at the Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) at McMurdo Station in Antarctica but was on leave in South Carolina. While on leave, he accepted a new job and contacted his coworkers at McMurdo station to request that they mail his personal hard drive to his home in Summerville, South Carolina. On October 8, 2020, Beauvais emailed his coworkers and requested they reformat his hard drive and mail it to him. On October 13, 2020, a coworker located the hard drive and viewed it to download movies. At that time, the coworker located a video that depicted a nude prepubescent girl. The coworkers reported the incident, and superiors confirmed that there was child pornography on the hard drive. On October 28, 2020, Beauvais waived his Miranda rights and was interviewed by Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) agents. Beauvais initially denied having child pornography on the hard drive. Thereafter, Beauvais consented to a polygraph examination and consented to all his electronics being seized from his residence. Beauvais admitted to possessing child pornography on the hard drive that was in Antarctica. Beauvais stated he copied child pornography from his personal device in South Carolina to the hard drive and then took the hard drive with him to Antarctica. Agents obtained consent to search Beauvais’ residence and seized numerous electronic devices following the search, including hard drives, laptops, and cell phones. A review of the devices revealed thousands of images depicting child pornography, including images depicting pre-pubescent minors and toddlers. United States District Judge Bruce Howe Hendricks sentenced Beauvais to 97 months in federal prison, to be followed by a lifetime term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Judge Hendricks also ordered Beauvais to pay $51,500 in restitution to the victims. The case was investigated by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dean H. Secor and Emily E. Limehouse prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc . ###


title: Two Men Sentenced in Multimillion Dollar Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. –A Pennsylvania man and a Georgia man were each sentenced yesterday to 46 months in prison for participating in a fraud scheme causing millions of dollars in loss to victims. According to court documents and testimony at hearings, from approximately September 2016 to March 2021, Carl Anthony McNeill, 59, of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, and Richard Thornhill Crock, 75, of Mableton, Georgia, along with other co-conspirators, ran an advance fee scheme targeting individuals, small businesses, churches, and other entities that could not obtain conventional lines of credit though banks. The co-conspirators promised these victims that, using their relationships with major investment banks, the co-conspirators could obtain lines of credit for the victims. The scheme required that the victims advance a deposit consisting of 10-15% of the line of credit sought, representing that the deposit would be held in escrow and returned if they did not obtain the line of credit. In fact, the co-conspirators did not have any relationships with the investment banks mentioned in their dealings with the victims, and did not safeguard the victims' funds in escrow. The fraudulently obtained funds from victims were misapplied to pay co-conspirators; cover the payroll and operating expenses of C&D Corporate Services, the company McNeill used to commit the fraud; and pay frustrated victims seeking the return of deposited money. Crock also falsely represented to victims that their advanced funds would be insured via policies issued through a Georgia-based insurance company. These policies were also fraudulent, as the insurance company did not have sufficient assets on hand to compensate victims under such policies. McNeill was ordered to pay over $5.8 million in restitution and Crock was ordered to pay over $2.4 million in restitution to victims. Co-defendants Jayson Ryman Colavalla and Ksyntoilious Miller are scheduled for sentencing on June 20 and July 11, respectively. They each face maximum sentences of 20 years in prison for their role in the conspiracy. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael C. Moore and Avi Panth 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. 3:21-cr-132.


title: Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Rodney Lee Browne Jr., 31, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute quantities of heroin, methamphetamine and fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 19, 2020, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Fourth Avenue residence in Huntington and seized approximately 1.5 grams of heroin, 68 grams of methamphetamine, 245 grams of marijuana, and 328 grams of fentanyl. Officers also found an AK-47 semiautomatic rifle, drug distribution paraphernalia and $2,075. Browne admitted that he possessed the heroin, methamphetamine, fentanyl and marijuana and intended to sell the controlled substances. Browne is scheduled to be sentenced on August 28, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Huntington Police Department. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-64. ###


title: Northern Kentucky Man Sentenced to 420 Months for Armed Methamphetamine and Cocaine Trafficking and Illegal Firearm Possession

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: COVINGTON, Ky. – An Alabama man, residing in Ludlow, Ky., Terrill Goods, 45, was sentenced to 420 months in federal prison on Wednesday, by U.S. District Judge David Bunning, for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine, as well as for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. In December 2022, a federal jury in Covington found Goods guilty of all charges against him, following a five-day trial. Goods’ co-defendant, Deon Coulter, 38, of Northern Kentucky had previously pled guilty, and was sentenced to 248 months in federal prison, for the same conspiracy, as well as for possession of fentanyl with the intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. According to evidence presented at trial, between October 2021 and January 2022, Goods and Coulter conspired to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine, as well as cocaine, in the Eastern District of Kentucky. Law enforcement made multiple controlled buys of methamphetamine, as well as one controlled buy of cocaine, from Goods and Coulter. They also seized approximately 2000 pills containing fentanyl and multiple firearms during execution of search warrants on Goods’ and Coulter’s respective residences. Under federal law, Goods and Coulter must serve 85 percent of their respective prison sentences. Upon their release from prison, they will each be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years. Carlton S. Shier IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Detroit Field Division, and Director Scott Hardcorn, Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force, jointly announced the sentences. The investigation was conducted by the DEA and the Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew A. Spievack and Elaine K. Leonhard. – END –


title: New York Woman Charged with Making Threatening Calls to Denver-Area LGBTQ Businesses

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Sharon Robinson, age 40, of New York, has been arrested and charged by indictment with making multiple threatening calls to LGBTQ businesses in Denver and Glendale. According to allegations in the indictment, the defendant called at least four businesses catering to the LGBTQ community just a few weeks after the tragic shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs. The defendant made various threatening comments in each of the calls, including threats to “shoot your bar up” and “you’re gonna be shot up like Club Q.” The threats also included anti-LGBTQ slurs. The Grand Jury made a special finding that the defendant intentionally selected her victims because of their actual and perceived sexual orientation. The United States Sentencing Guidelines recommend higher sentences for such crimes. The defendant was scheduled to make her initial appearance in Brooklyn, New York, on May 24, 2023. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Denver Police Department, and the Glendale Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Bryan Fields is handling the prosecution. The charges in the indictment are allegations and the Defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. CASE NUMBER: 23-cr-274


title: Three Federal Correctional Institution, Schuylkill Inmates Charged With Possession Of Contraband In Prison

body_text: SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that three federal inmates were indicted separately on May 23, 2023, by a federal grand jury for possessing contraband in prison. According to U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the following three FCI Schuylkill, Minersville, Pennsylvania, inmates were charged with possession of a dangerous prison-made weapon, commonly known as a “shank:” Tyrik Brown, age 28, originally from Washington D.C.; Thadusse Hartridge, age 22, originally from Washington D.C.; Daquon Brooks, age 28, originally from Washington D.C. The investigations were conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Service. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the cases. The maximum penalty under federal law is five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. ###


title: One Detroit Partnership Announces a Unified Summer Enforcement, Prevention, and Reentry Strategy Targeting Designated High Crime Areas in Detroit

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – Today, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison, along with Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, Wayne County Prosecuting Attorney Kym Worthy, and Detroit Police Chief James E. White, announced a targeted strategy aimed at reducing gun violence in Detroit’s neighborhoods with the highest incidence of violent crime – Detroit’s 8 th and 9 th Precincts. The strategy has three components—enforcement, prevention, and reentry—and is a part of the One Detroit partnership announced last month. One Detroit is a coalition of community and law enforcement partners working together to develop and execute the best strategies to reduce violent crime. Joining in the announcement were Special Agent in Charge James A. Tarasca, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division, Special Agent in Charge James Dier, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Special Agent in Charge Orville Greene, Drug Enforcement Administration, Detroit Division, Beverly Smith, Assistant Deputy Director, Operations Office, Michigan Department of Corrections, Bishop Edgar Vann, II, Second Ebenezer Church, Alvin Stokes, President, Citywide Citizens Police Community Relations and Kenyatta Stephens, CEO Black Family Development. As temperatures rise, so too does violent crime. With summer approaching, the One Detroit Partnership has launched an effort to strategically focus resources on the most dangerous neighborhoods of the city. These neighborhoods in the 8 th and 9 th Precincts are among the highest in the city in fatal and non-fatal shootings, robberies, and carjackings in 2023. One part of the effort is an enforcement strategy designed to prosecute the most violent individuals and crimes in federal court when that is possible. Under the strategy, violent felons arrested for illegally possessing firearms and those arrested with fully automatic firearms and firearms with obliterated serial numbers in select areas of Detroit’s 8 th and 9 th Precincts will be subject to immediate federal prosecution. In addition, any individual who commits an armed carjacking or robbery of a business in the targeted areas will be prosecuted federally. Finally, any individual with a meaningful connection to the targeted areas, who commits this type of crime elsewhere in the city, will be prosecuted federally. The “hot spot” strategy for federal enforcement will begin on Memorial Day and will last until Labor Day in September. The One Detroit partnership is also engaged in preventing crime in the targeted areas. In an effort to deter violence and illegal gun possession, last week, letters were sent to 200 individuals on probation, parole, or supervised release in the targeted areas, warning them of the enforcement strategy. But the letter—which was signed by the entire executive team of One Detroit—did more than warn. The letter asked the recipient to be a part of the solution and to help make their neighborhood a safer place. And it invited the recipient to participate in a Peacenic in their neighborhood. Peacenics are community events where residents can come for fun, engage with law enforcement, and obtain resources to improve the quality of their lives. This year’s Peacenics will take place on Saturday, July 8, at O’Hair Park, and Saturday, July 15, at Heilmann Park from 3 PM to 7 PM. The events will feature vendors offering a variety of resources, including job training, literacy programs, mental health and medical screenings, utility assistance, educational and vocational opportunities, tutorial, career development programs, and more. Several law enforcement agencies will also be present to engage with the community and recruit to fill vacancies in their organizations. Finally, the One Detroit partners also intend to invite returning citizens who live in the “hot spot” areas to meet with service providers to help them directly address any barriers that are preventing them from fully reintegrating in society. As part of our unified strategy, and to spread the word about the One Detroit partnership, billboards will be strategically placed in areas of the 8 th and 9 th Precincts which encourage residents to join the partnership by taking a pledge to put down the guns and be an agent of change in their community. The pledge can be found by going to the U.S. Attorney’s Office web page at www.justice.gov/usao-edmi/one-detroit-peace-pledge . The web page will be a resource residents can go to learn of upcoming events related to One Detroit. “Our summer enforcement strategy will target the most dangerous areas of Detroit,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “We will federally prosecute carjackings, robberies, and gun crimes in these areas. At the same time, we will reach out and engage with the community to prevent crime from occurring in the first place. We will not stop until the people of Detroit and those who visit Detroit feel safe to go about their business on its streets.” “We know that the summer months bring a lot of great activities to our city, but also can bring a higher rate of violent crime,” said Mayor Duggan. To help make sure we all have a safe summer, DPD will be focusing on the 8th and 9th precinct where we typically see the largest spike in gun related crime. I'm grateful for the leadership and support of our US Attorney Dawn Ison and Chief White, as well as our many local, state, and federal law enforcement and community partners.” “We know that violent crime usually increases in the warm weather months. One Detroit will do everything possible to combat this problem, but we can’t do it alone. To do better we all collectively have to be better,” said Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy. “The Detroit Police Department and One Detroit partners will strategically deploy our resources to these neighborhoods most impacted by violent crime in order for residents to have a safer summer,” said Chief James E. White. “Together, we will work to continue fighting violent crime to secure a better quality of life for our residents, visitors, and officers.”


title: Federal Grand Jury Indicts Louisville Man for Methamphetamine Trafficking

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned an indictment on April 19, 2023, charging a Louisville, Kentucky man with methamphetamine trafficking. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office made the announcement. According to the indictment, on January 27, 2023, February 13, 2023, and March 20, 2023, Todd Meredith, 54, distributed over 50 grams of a methamphetamine mixture. Additionally, on March 30, 2023, Meredith possessed with the intent to distribute over 50 grams of a methamphetamine mixture. Meredith made his initial appearance last week before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, he faces a minimum sentence of 5 years and a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system. This case is being investigated by the FBI Louisville Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia P. Gomez is prosecuting this case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Great Falls man admits manslaughter charge in fatal crash on Blackfeet Indian Reservation

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A Great Falls man suspected of driving under the influence admitted today to causing the death of his passenger when he crashed in the Browning area, on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Emil Saunders Day Chief, 41, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter. Day Chief faces a maximum of eight years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Oct. 25. Day Chief was detained pending further proceedings. In court documents, the government alleged that on July 19, 2022, Day Chief picked up the victim, Jane Doe, in Heart Butte. Day Chief was driving, while Jane Doe was a passenger. Soon thereafter, a witness saw Day Chief drive by at approximately 90 mph. Day Chief’s car then veered off the road, overcorrected, flipped and rolled two times before coming to a stop on the driver’s side. Jane Doe went through the windshield and the vehicle rolled over her. The witness found Day Chief still in the driver’s seat with one arm trapped under the car and a beer can in his other hand. The witness and others lifted the car, and Day Chief got out. Law enforcement arrived and found Jane Doe deceased and lying in the road. Officers also saw beer cans in the car and scattered around the scene and an empty jar from a marijuana dispensary. Day Chief was transported to a hospital for treatment. An investigation determined that Day Chief had a blood alcohol content of .335 percent and that his blood was positive for opiates and THC. Jane Doe died of blunt force injuries. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica A. Betley is prosecuting the case. The FBI, Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, Montana Highway Patrol and Glacier County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Doctor Pleads Guilty to $1.9M Medicare Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A former New Hampshire doctor pleaded guilty today in federal court to health care fraud, in connection with a scheme to defraud Medicare by prescribing durable medical equipment without ever seeing, speaking to, or otherwise examining patients, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Steven Powell, 53, of Alpharetta, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Paul Barbadoro scheduled sentencing for August 30, 2023. Powell was charged via Information on April 27, 2023. Powell agreed to electronically sign orders for durable medical equipment (DME), such as knee and ankle braces, that he knew were used to submit more than $1.9 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare. Powell received kickbacks in exchange for each doctor’s order he signed authorizing DME that were not medically necessary, and not legitimately prescribed. The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the pecuniary gain. 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. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Inspector General led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Kennedy and First Assistant United States Attorney Jay McCormack are prosecuting the case. ###


title: PAR FUNDING PRINCIPALS CHARGED WITH SECURITIES FRAUD, EXTORTION, TAX CRIMES, PERJURY, AND OBSTRUCTION

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – An indictment was unsealed today charging Complete Business Solutions Group, Inc., doing business as Par Funding, and four of its principals with various crimes, including securities fraud, extortionate collection of credit, tax crimes, perjury, obstruction of justice, witness retaliation, and witness tampering, announced United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero. These principals are Joseph LaForte, 52: Lisa McElhone, 43; Joseph Cole Barleta (“Joe Cole”), 39; and James LaForte, 46. According to the indictment, from at least 2016 through July 2020, co-conspirators Joseph LaForte, Joe Cole, James LaForte, and others participated in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud and securities fraud in connection with funds that were raised from investors in Par Funding and its affiliates. Par Funding and these affiliates provided funding to businesses through short-term financing transactions, referred to as merchant cash advances (“MCAs”). To fund these MCAs, the defendants raised over $500 million from investors. It is alleged that as part of their fundraising efforts, these defendants and their conspirators caused false and misleading information to be conveyed to investors regarding various issues, including: Joseph LaForte’s true name, his role at Par Funding, and his criminal history; Par Funding’s underwriting process; the diversity of the company’s MCA portfolio; Par Funding’s default rate; Par Funding’s financial success and profitability; the company’s insurance; and the defendants’ self-dealing. For instance, the indictment alleges that although Joseph LaForte operated Par Funding and referred to it as his business, he concealed this ownership and control by using his wife, Lisa McElhone, as his nominee. Joseph LaForte also used several aliases, such as “Joe Mack,” while working at the company. It is alleged that Joseph LaForte, Joe Cole, James LaForte, and their conspirators engaged in this deception to conceal Joseph LaForte’s true role as the person operating the company and his significant criminal history from investors. The indictment also alleges that Joseph LaForte and James LaForte conspired with an individual named Renato “Gino” Gioe to participate in the extortionate collection of credit. It is alleged that during the course of Par Funding’s operations, these individuals made hostile, threatening, and intimidating communications to Par Funding’s customers in person and over the telephone in order to collect on delinquent MCAs. For example, the indictment alleges that Joseph LaForte threatened to “blow up” a delinquent customer’s home in May 2019 and asked another delinquent customer in August 2019 whether the customer had heard of “cement shoes.” In addition, the indictment alleges that in May 2018, James LaForte told one customer that he was a “soldier for the family” who had torched people’s cars and kicked people’s teeth in. Furthermore, the indictment alleges that Joseph LaForte and Lisa McElhone committed a variety of tax crimes. For instance, it is alleged that the married couple defrauded the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania out of approximately $1.2 million of state taxes by falsely claiming to be residents of Florida, even though they worked, lived, and spent more than 300 days per year in Pennsylvania. Furthermore, the indictment alleges that Joseph LaForte and Lisa McElhone worked together to evade the payment of half a million dollars of employment taxes that had been imposed on Joseph LaForte in connection with companies that he had operated in the mid-2000s. In addition, it is alleged that Joseph LaForte committed tax crimes by failing to report millions of dollars in cash kickbacks that he personally received from a Par Funding customer, and by regularly paying cash wages to Par Funding employees but not withholding taxes from these wages or reporting them to the IRS. It is further alleged that Joseph LaForte and Joe Cole each committed perjury twice during depositions in federal lawsuits against Par Funding, making misrepresentations regarding various matters. For instance, the indictment alleges that Joseph LaForte lied under oath about his knowledge of his wife’s role at Par Funding, Joe Cole’s role at the company, and the company’s default rate. The indictment alleges that Joe Cole lied under oath about who was on Par Funding’s credit committee (which Joseph LaForte ran) and who ran Par Funding. Finally, the indictment alleges that Joseph LaForte and James LaForte engaged in obstruction of justice, witness tampering, and retaliation. Specifically, it is alleged that in late February 2023, on the streets of Center City Philadelphia, James LaForte, with the assistance of and in coordination with Joseph LaForte, physically assaulted counsel for the Receiver for Par Funding in a lawsuit brought by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in the Southern District of Florida. Moreover, in connection with the same lawsuit, the indictment alleges that Joseph LaForte threatened to cause serious bodily injury to another individual in November 2022. Lastly, it is alleged that James LaForte made threats of violence to multiple parties in early 2023 in an effort to interfere with the SEC lawsuit, a federal grand jury investigation, and an anticipated federal prosecution, as well as to retaliate against these parties. If convicted of all counts charged against them, the defendants face the following maximum possible sentences of imprisonment: Joseph LaForte – 796 years; McElhone – 70 years; Cole– 415 years; and James LaForte – 615 years. The defendants also face full restitution, a fine, and a period of supervised release and/or probation. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-Office of Inspector General, and Pennsylvania State Police and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Patrick J. Murray, Matthew Newcomer, and Alexandra Lastowski. The SEC in Florida investigated and litigated the civil securities fraud charges which formed the basis of a portion of the criminal prosecution. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Bronx Man Sentenced to More Than 14 Years in Federal Prison for Fentanyl and Cocaine Trafficking Offenses

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that LEONARDO HECTOR ROSADO, 52, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 170 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for trafficking fentanyl and cocaine. According to court documents and statements made in court, in April 2021, members of the FBI’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force and Bridgeport Police Department coordinated the acquisition of a kilogram of heroin from Rosado. On April 13, 2021, Rosado drove from the Bronx to a meeting location in Bridgeport where he provided a cooperating witness with nearly a kilogram of a substance containing fentanyl, heroin and cocaine, and another small bag containing more than four grams of fentanyl. Investigators arranged another narcotics transaction and, on May 16, 2021, arrested Rosado after he drove to a location in Bridgeport with nearly three kilograms of a substance containing fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine, and an additional 983 grams of cocaine. Rosado had also delivered a kilogram of fentanyl to the cooperating witness in 2019. Rosado has been detained since his arrest. On February 23, 2023, a jury found him guilty of two counts of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl, and one count of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of 500 grams or more of cocaine. Rosado has a prior narcotics trafficking conviction. In 2010, he was sentenced in the Middle District of North Carolina to 121 months of imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. His sentence was later reduced to 97 months of imprisonment. This matter was investigated by the FBI’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force and the Bridgeport Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tara E. Levens and Daniel E. Cummings through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: West Virginia man sentenced for COVID fraud

body_text: WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – A Wheeling, West Virginia, man was sentenced today to 10 months in prison after fraudulently obtaining loans made available during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dalton Haas, also known as Dalton Nassar, 27, pled guilty to wire fraud in February 2023. Haas admitted to making false statements about the gross revenues, the cost of goods sold, and the number of employees for the Lebanese Restaurant & Bakery, the Wheeling Wine Festival, the West Virginia Hockey League, and the Wheeling Hockey Association. Haas obtained a total of $20,000 in CARES Act funding as part of his scheme. He attempted to fraudulently obtain loans on three other occasions but was unsuccessful. Upon his release from prison, Haas will be under the supervision of federal probation officers for three years. Haas paid restitution in full prior to sentencing. The United States Sentencing Guidelines called for a range of punishment for Haas of between 4 and 10 months, based upon the amount of loss and his criminal history. The sentence imposed was at the highest end of the Guidelines. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Conklin prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided. Anyone who is aware of COVID fraud may report it via email to wvfraud@fbi.gov , by telephone to 304-234-0100, or via regular mail to the U.S. Attorney, P.O. Box 591, Wheeling, WV 26003, Attn: COVID Fraud Unit.


title: Violent Felon Sentenced to 46 Months in Federal Prison After Being Found Armed with a Machinegun and Unconscious in a Running Vehicle on I-465

component: USAO - Indiana, Southern

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Michael Parham, 31, of Indianapolis, Indiana has been sentenced to 46 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. According to court documents, on August 26, 2021, at approximately 9:36 a.m., Carmel Police Department (CPD) officers were alerted to a man slumped over the steering wheel of his vehicle at the I-465 Westbound exit to US-31 South. When CPD officers arrived, they saw two men passed out in the driver and front passenger seats of a white Buick Regal. The driver was identified as Michael Parham. The Buick was running and in drive, with Parham’s foot on the brake. The windows of the Buick were all rolled down and the doors were locked. An officer reached into the Buick and put the vehicle in park. The officer then began shaking and yelling at Parham to wake him from his unconscious state. Parham did not verbally respond to any questions about his medical status or whether he was under the influence of any narcotics. Officers removed the keys from the Buick and placed Parham under arrest. During the search of the vehicle, officers located a loaded 9-millimeter Glock semi-automatic pistol on the front driver floorboard in plain view. The Glock pistol was loaded and equipped with a machinegun conversion device. Machinegun conversion devices, sometimes called “Glock switches” or “auto-sears,” are devices that convert ordinary semiautomatic firearms into fully automatic machineguns. Machinegun conversion devices are themselves considered machineguns under federal law, even when not installed, and are illegal to possess or sell without a special license. Parham is prohibited from possessing any firearm due to his previous federal felony conviction for robbery. At the time of this arrest, Parham was still on supervised release after being released from federal prison for the robbery. United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers, Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Columbus Field Division, and Jim Barlow, Chief of the Carmel Police Department, made the announcement. “Violent criminals who continue to illegally arm themselves pose a tremendous danger to our communities—especially when their handguns are illegally converted into machineguns” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers. “This defendant demonstrated that he learned little from his prior sentence. He will now return to federal prison, ensuring that the public will again be protected from any of his further crimes while he is incarcerated. Our office will continue to work with our partners at ATF and the Carmel Police Department to disarm dangerous offenders and get them off our streets.” The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and Carmel Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson. Judge Stinson also ordered that Parham 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 Peter A. Blackett, who prosecuted this case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: New Jersey Man Sentenced for Conspiring with Someone Posing as DEA Agent to Defraud Victim of Gold

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A New Jersey man was sentenced today in federal court in Springfield for his role in a conspiracy which resulted in a Massachusetts victim converting her bank account funds into gold, because she was tricked into believing that her accounts had been compromised by purported drug traffickers. Gaurang Contractor, 38, a citizen of India living in Jersey City, N.J., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to one year and one day in prison. Contractor will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. On March 27, 2023, Contractor pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. A man posing as an agent for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) who referred to himself as “Oscar White,” contacted a victim in early August 2022 and told the victim that her bank accounts had been “compromised” by drug dealers. “Oscar White” directed the victim to convert her life savings to gold. “Oscar White” provided the victim with the name of a jewelry store in Hadley, Mass. where the victim could purchase gold. “Oscar White” then directed the victim to leave the gold in her unlocked vehicle and promised to send a “court officer” to pick up the gold for safekeeping by the DEA. The victim became suspicious and contacted law enforcement. On Aug. 8, 2022, Contractor, unaware that the victim had contacted law enforcement, drove from New Jersey to Hadley, Mass, and conducted surveillance at the jewelry store. Unbeknownst to Contractor, a law enforcement officer, posing as the victim, entered the jewelry store and completed a sham transaction for two buckets worth of gold. Contractor followed the victim’s vehicle containing fake gold to a nearby parking lot. Upon arriving at the meeting location in the parking lot, Contractor removed the two buckets he believed to contain gold from the victim’s vehicle and placed them in his own car. He was subsequently arrested. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan; and Hadley Police Chief Michael A. Mason made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Danial Bennett and Kaitlin Brown of Levy’s Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.


title: Springfield Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing from Bank ATMs and Jewelry Stores

body_text: BOSTON – A Springfield man pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston today in connection with the theft from federal bank ATMs in December 2022 and the burglaries of two New Hampshire jewelry stores in January 2023. Alex Oyola, a/k/a “Dirty,” 37, pleaded guilty to conspiracy transport stolen property in interstate commerce, two counts of interstate transportation of stolen property, conspiracy steal from a federally insured bank and theft from a federally insured bank. U.S. District Court Judge Patti Saris scheduled a further hearing for Oct. 19, 2023. Oyola and six other men were arrested on April 12, 2023, and charged with offenses related to the theft, transportation and sale of stolen property during 2022 and 2023. The other six men were charged in connection with the theft of catalytic converters from over 470 vehicles in 2022 and 2023. Oyola is the second defendant to plead guilty in the case. On May 17, 2023, Jose Torres – the alleged reseller of stolen catalytic converters that were stolen by the conspirators – pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 6, 2023. According to charging documents, it is alleged that Oyola conspired with two of his co-defendants to steal from ATMs of federally insured banks in Massachusetts on three separate occasions in December 2022. It is alleged that this conspiracy involved the use of stolen trucks that they would use to rip the ATMs from the ground and gain access to the vault containing stolen cash. Oyola is also alleged to have stolen a trailer in December 2022 and committed burglaries of two New Hampshire jewelry stores on Jan. 12, 2023 with two other co-defendants. The combined total value of the jewelry stolen during the burglaries was determined to be over $140,000, with each store facing more than $10,000 in costs to repair the resulting damage caused during the burglary. The charge of conspiracy to transport stolen property in interstate commerce provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of interstate transportation of stolen property provides for a sentence of up to 10 years, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to commit bank theft provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of bank theft provides for a sentence of up to 10 years, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; John E. Mawn, Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Kevin Gallagher, Director of Operations for the National Insurance Crime Bureau, Northeast Region made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was also provided by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the District of Connecticut, the Northern District of Oklahoma and the Eastern District of California; Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; and the New England State Police Information Network (NESPIN). Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of Levy’s Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case. Over 70 local police departments in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Connecticut contributed to this investigation through the submission of their investigations of catalytic converter thefts in their jurisdiction. The Massachusetts Police Departments contributing to the investigation were Abington, Acton, Andover, Auburn, Bedford, Bellingham, Beverly, Billerica, Burlington, Bridgewater, Canton, Carver, Chelmsford, Concord, Cranston, East Hampton, Easton, Fitchburg, Framingham, Franklin, Gardner, Hampton, Hanover, Haverhill, Hingham, Holliston, Holyoke, Hudson, Ipswich, Lawrence, Leominster, Lynn, Malden, Mansfield, Medford, Marlborough, Methuen, Middleton, Milford, Millbury, Needham, Newton, Northborough, Norwell, Norwood, Peabody, Pembroke, Plymouth, Randolph, Rockland, Sharon, Shrewsbury, Springfield, Sterling, Sturbridge, Sudbury, Tyngsborough, Walpole, Waltham, Watertown, West Bridgewater, Weymouth, Wilmington, Woburn, and Worcester. The New Hampshire Police Departments contributing to the investigation were Bow, Concord, Derry, Hooksett, Hudson, Londonderry, Manchester, Salem, Windham. The Connecticut Police Departments contributing to the investigation were South Windsor and Windsor. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Memphis Man Sentenced for Armed Robbery of Postal Carriers

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – Sidney Poitier Pilcher, Jr., a/k/a Slimey Sidd, 21, has been sentenced to over nine years in federal prison for aiding and abetting in the robbery of postal carriers while brandishing a firearm. Kevin G. Ritz, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today. According to United States Attorney Ritz and information presented in court, the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) began investigating complaints of stolen or missing mail from collection boxes in the Memphis area. During the investigation, officers seized stolen mail, black ripped jeans, and a lime-green reflective vest from locations frequented by Pilcher. The clothing matched the description of the masked suspect during the postal robbery committed on September 26, 2022. Pilcher pled guilty on February 16, 2023. United States Senior District Judge Jon P. McCalla, sentenced Pilcher to 114 months in federal prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the USPIS and the Memphis Police Department. United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Reid Manning, who prosecuted this case, as well as law enforcement partners who investigated the case.


title: Massachusetts Eye and Ear Agrees to Pay Over $5.7 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations

body_text: BOSTON – Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Associates, Inc., and the Foundation of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Inc. (collectively “Massachusetts Eye and Ear”) have agreed to pay over $5.7 million to resolve allegations that seven of their physician compensation plans, involving 44 doctors, violated federal law. The government alleges that Massachusetts Eye and Ear compensated 44 physicians in a manner that violated the Physician Self-Referral Law (sometimes referred to as the Stark Law). Mass General Brigham, which has owned and operated Massachusetts Eye and Ear since April 2018, disclosed this issue to the government in connection with the government’s investigation into related allegations. The Stark Law prohibits physicians from referring patients to receive “designated health services” payable by Medicare from entities, like hospitals, with which the physician has a financial relationship, unless the arrangement falls into the exceptions provided for by law. It also prohibits the entity from billing Medicare for those services. The law is intended to ensure that physicians’ medical judgments are not compromised by improper financial inducements. “Stark Act violations drive up the overall costs of the health care system due to fraud and abuse,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua Levy. “We will continue to vigorously investigate False Claims Act violations arising out of improper financial relationships between hospitals and physicians. We applaud Massachusetts Eye and Ear for its cooperation with the Department’s investigation. This settlement agreement demonstrates the advantages that actors can enjoy when they disclose non compliance, and we encourage others in the health care industry to come forward when they suspect wrongdoing.” “This settlement is a warning to other health care entities that seek to boost their profits by entering into improper financial arrangements with referring physicians,” said Phillip M. Coyne, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Working with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to investigate such deals to prevent financial arrangements that could undermine impartial medical judgement, drive up health care costs, and corrode the public’s trust in the health care system.” “We all rely on our health care providers to make treatment decisions based on clinical needs, not financial ones arising out of improper relationships between physicians and hospitals,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Today’s settlement with Massachusetts Eye and Ear demonstrates the FBI’s ongoing commitment to ensure that publicly funded health care programs to which we all contribute and on which we all depend are not abused.” All seven physician compensation models at issue began before Mass General Brigham acquired Massachusetts Eye and Ear. One physician compensation model ended before Mass General Brigham took control of Massachusetts Eye and Ear. Mass General Brigham voluntarily terminated the remaining six physician compensation models on Oct. 1, 2019. The government’s investigation was prompted by False Claims Act allegations brought in a lawsuit filed by a whistleblower under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the government and share in any recovery. In connection with today’s settlement, the whistleblower will receive 17% of the recovery. Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; HHS-OIG SAC Coyne; FBI SAC Bonavolonta; and Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Sharobem and Charles B. Weinograd of Levy’s Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit handled the matter.


title: Raeford Man Charged with Illegal Possession of Firearms

component: USAO - North Carolina, Middle

body_text: GREENSBORO, NC – Sandra J. Hairston, United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina, announced today that AARON DEON GOODE, JR. of Raeford, age 25, has been charged in federal court with two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The Indictment alleges that GOODE, having been previously convicted of a felony, did possess firearms, in violation Title 18 United Sates Code Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). The charges stem from two separate incidents in August 2019 and October 2021 in Hoke County. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum term of 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release of not more than 3 years, a fine not to exceed $250,000, and a mandatory special assessment of $100. Forfeiture allegations included in the Indictment also require GOODE to forfeit both firearms. An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. “Recovering firearms from the hands of prohibited individuals is a critical step in fighting violent crime,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “The illegal possession of firearms is a serious threat to the community, and recovering these firearms helps make our streets safer.” The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Hoke County Sheriff’s Office, and the Raeford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Mary Ann Courtney. 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: Two-Time Bank Robber Pleads Guilty, Targets Same Bank Location

body_text: MACON, Ga. – A Macon resident recently released from federal prison for robbing a local bank in 2013 pleaded guilty this week to attempting to rob a bank at the same location, calling his probation officer to report his own crime. William Jeffrey Lowder, Jr., 41, pleaded guilty to attempted bank robbery before U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal on May 23. Lowder faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing has not been scheduled. There is no parole in the federal system. “The defendant’s choice to attempt to rob a community bank located near a busy university campus caused unnecessary panic in a peaceful place of business,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “As Mr. Lowder well knows, individuals who threaten the peace will face consequences. I want to thank the U.S. Probation Office, the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI for their quick response.” “Lowder’s prior prison time was apparently not enough of a teaching moment for him because he returned to his bank robbing ways while he was still on supervised release for the last bank robbery he committed,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Thanks to the assistance of our partners with the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, he’ll have up to 20 years in federal prison to think about what he’ll do the next time he is released from prison.” According to facts presented in court, Lowder walked into the Truist Bank on Mercer University Drive in Macon at approximately 11:00 a.m. on Jan. 27. He approached a teller and handed over a note that read, “Money out the register, no dye packs, Sorry!” Lowder reached behind his back, which the clerk believed meant that he had a firearm; Lowder did not have a weapon. When he was told that the clerk did not have a register, Lowder left the bank. Lowder was recently released from federal prison for robbing a bank at the same location in 2013 and was serving a term of supervised release. An hour after leaving the bank, Lowder called his U.S. Probation officer to report his crime and his location. The defendant was quickly taken into custody in Macon. The bank robbery was captured on surveillance cameras. The case was investigated by the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Probation Office and FBI. Deputy Criminal Chief Will Keyes is prosecuting the case for the government.