title: Justice Department Gathers Stakeholders, Advocates for Inaugural National Elder Justice Law Enforcement Summit

component: Civil Division

body_text: The Justice Department today convened the National Elder Justice Law Enforcement Summit, which represents the first national gathering of local, state, and federal law enforcement to focus on efforts to combat elder abuse, neglect, financial exploitation, and fraud. During the two-day event, held at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., representatives from local, state, and national law enforcement organizations from around the country will join federal law enforcement representatives to discuss and learn about the various forms of elder abuse; identify promising practices, resources and tools available to state and local law enforcement; and foster greater collaboration between law enforcement and elder justice professionals to prevent, identify, and address elder abuse in their communities. Some of the specific topics to be addressed will include how dementia may impact elder abuse investigations; how to overcome challenges associated with investigating financial exploitation; how trauma impacts older victims and the importance of connecting older victims with services; and the unique challenge of investigating abuse and neglect committed against nursing home residents. “Tragically, millions of older Americans suffer from some form of elder abuse each year,” said Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer, who opened the event . “While the pandemic brought to light some of the most egregious elder abuses, we know that far too many cases still go unreported.” In his remarks, the Acting Associate Attorney General emphasized the value of collaboration among all levels of law enforcement, adding: “While the Department is steadfast in our commitment to pursue elder justice, it’s clear that none of us can do this work alone. You are valued partners in the Department’s fight against elder abuse and fraud, and we continue to reap the benefits of working collaboratively with you.” He reiterated the Department’s commitment to supporting the critical work of state and local partners. In October 2023, the Justice Department released its fifth Annual Justice Report to Congress, highlighting its ongoing efforts to root out heinous activity that strategically targets and exploits vulnerable, older populations. During the period covered by the report of July 2022 through June 2023, the Department pursued nearly 300 criminal and civil actions against more than 650 defendants who collectively stole more than $1.5 billion from over 2.4 million victims. Also noted in the report, the Department has returned hundreds of millions of dollars to victims of elder fraud schemes, while helping to freeze millions of dollars for other older victims before their funds were transferred to fraudsters. The Department also supported over 5,000 victim assistance organizations that provided services (including individual advocacy, crisis intervention, civil legal assistance, transportation, and emergency shelter) to over 240,000 victims aged 60 and older. The Summit was organized by the Justice Department’s Elder Justice Initiative, with support from the Office for Victims of Crime and the Office of Community Orienting Policing Services. The event was also supported by members of the Elder Justice Coordinating Council, including the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Community Living. To report elder financial fraud, call the National Elder Fraud Hotline, 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). For more information on the Department’s elder justice activities, visit the Department’s Elder Justice Website , where information on the Summit also is available.


title: Gang member found guilty in assault on correctional officer

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA - Cody Ryan Todd has been found guilty by a federal jury of assault on a Bureau of Prisons correctional officer at the U.S. Penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia (USP-Atlanta). “Detainees and inmates cannot commit crimes with impunity while they are behind bars,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Correctional officers in Bureau of Prisons facilities perform an essential role in safeguarding the welfare of penitentiary staff and inmates. Assaults committed against these law enforcement officers will not be tolerated.” “This case shows the risk correctional officers face daily. Todd’s intent to do harm towards this officer will be met with serious consequences,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI will not tolerate such attacks against members of law enforcement, and Todd will now face further consequences for his actions.” “The Federal Bureau of Prisons appreciates the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement counterparts for their hard work and diligence in bringing this case to justice. Our employees safety is paramount. This prosecution sends a clear message that this behavior will not be tolerated and underscores our commitment to creating a safe and secure environment for our employees and those in our care,” said Randilee Giamusso, Spokesperson for the Federal Bureau of Prisons. According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: On January 28, 2021, Cody Todd assaulted a correctional officer while Todd was in custody as a pretrial detainee at USP-Atlanta. Todd hit the officer in the face, knocked him to the floor, and then struck the officer several more times while the officer was incapacitated. This assault left the officer with significant injuries. At the time of the assault, Todd was being detained on charges of racketeering activity in connection with his crimes committed as a member of the Ghost Face Gangsters. The racketeering activity included, among other offenses, murder, attempted murder, kidnapping and robbery. Cody Ryan Todd, 34, of Carrollton, Georgia, was separately convicted of conspiracy to commit racketeering and sentenced to 16 years in prison. Todd had also previously been convicted of battery on four separate occasions. He is scheduled to be sentenced before U.S. District Judge Victoria Calvert on May 8, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Beaulieu and Alison Prout are prosecuting the case. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Shreveport Business Owner Found Guilty of Making False Statements to the Federal Aviation Administration

component: USAO - Louisiana, Western

body_text: SHREVEPORT, La. – After a week-long trial and 15 hours of deliberating, a federal jury returned a guilty verdict late yesterday afternoon against Edward L. Angel, Sr. , 70, of Shreveport, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. The jury found Angel guilty on three counts of making false statements to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). United States District Judge David C. Joseph presided over the trial. In addition to the three counts of making false statements that Angel was convicted of, he was also charged with 76 counts of theft of government funds from the Department of Veteran Affairs and Social Security Administration. After their long deliberation, the jury was deadlocked, could not reach a verdict on those 76 counts, and Judge Joseph declared a mistrial regarding those counts. As a result, the government plans to request a new trial date for the pending 76 counts. Testimony at trial regarding the false statement charges revealed that Angel failed to disclose to the FAA his service-related disability of Primary Lateral Sclerosis, a neurological disorder, on his Application for Airman Medical Certificate on three separate occasions. These false statements were made on documentation submitted in order for him to obtain a medical certificate to lawfully pilot his airplane. Angel faces a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 on the three FAA counts. Sentencing on those counts has been set for April 26, 2024. The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Department of Veteran Affairs Office of Inspector General, and Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tennille M. Gilreath and Earl M. Campbell. # # #


title: Felon Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Possession of Four Firearms and Ammunition

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A former Dover man pleaded guilty in federal court to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Christopher T. Brown, 38, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. Sentencing was scheduled for May 14, 2024, with U.S. District Court Judge Steven J. McAuliffe. Brown was first charged on April 26, 2023. On January 9, 2023, the defendant’s spouse called emergency services and reported that she and the defendant had an argument, and that the defendant had a gun to his head. Dover police officers responded to the emergency call at the defendant’s home. The defendant’s spouse consented to a search of the house, and officers found four firearms. Those guns included two pistols, a .40 caliber rifle, and a 12-gauge sawed-off shotgun. Officers also recovered ammunition. The defendant later admitted to owning the firearms and knowing that he could not lawfully possess them as a felon. The defendant also admitted that he used a straw purchaser to purchase three of the firearms and asked that straw purchaser to file a false police report that the firearms she bought were stolen. The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 15 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Dover Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Springfield Brothers, Two Kansas Men Indicted for Meth Trafficking

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two Springfield, Mo., men and two Parsons, Kansas, men have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a drug-trafficking conspiracy after law enforcement officers seized 100 pounds of methamphetamine hidden in a vehicle being transported from California, as well as several firearms found at a Springfield residence. Dontrell Anthony Powell, 34, and his brother, Dreshawn Powell, 26, both of Springfield, and Willie Murry, Jr., 41, and Mark Monta Logan, 33, both of Parsons, were charged in a seven-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday Feb. 6. The indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against the defendants on Jan. 19, 2024, and contains additional charges. According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, the Oklahoma State Highway Patrol searched the vehicles on a car hauler at a truck stop in Oklahoma City, Okla., on Jan. 17, 2024. Officers found approximately 100 pounds of methamphetamine and two pounds of fake pills believed to contain fentanyl hidden in a subwoofer speaker box in the cargo area of one of the cars, a Dodge Magnum. The driver of the car hauler, whom the affidavit says was not involved in the drug shipment, agreed to deliver the Dodge Magnum to its destination at a parking lot in Springfield. Agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted a controlled delivery later the same day. Dontrell and Dreshawn Powell arrived together and Dontrell Powell met with the driver of the car hauler. Murry and Logan arrived together soon afterward. Dontrell Powell attempted to start the Dodge Magnum, but it would not start. Murray and Logan helped him jump start the vehicle, which he then drove out of the parking lot as the other defendants followed in their vehicles. Agents followed the three vehicles to Dontrell Powell’s residence, where they were arrested. Agents searched the residence and found, in addition to the controlled delivery from the Dodge Magnum, an AM-15 pistol, .223 ammunition, several high-capacity magazines with ammunition, more than $100,000 in cash, and drug paraphernalia. Agents also found a loaded Glock pistol in one of the vehicles, eight cell phones, two shards of crystal methamphetamine inside two large subwoofer boxes in the garage, four more large subwoofer boxes, and drug paraphernalia. The federal indictment alleges that Dontrell and Dreshawn Powell, Murry, and Logan participated in a conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine from Jan. 15 to Jan. 18, 2024. In addition to the conspiracy, all four defendants are charged together in one count of attempting to possess methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Dontrell Powell is also charged with one count of money laundering, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Powell allegedly possessed an Anderson Manufacturing AM-15 multi-caliber semi-automatic pistol and a Glock .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol on Jan. 18, 2024. Powell allegedly possessed another Glock .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol on June 12, 2022. Dontrell Powell has a prior felony conviction for possession of dangerous drugs for sale. Murry and Logan are also charged together in one count of traveling across state lines from Kansas to Missouri with the intent to carry on or facilitate an unlawful activity (possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine). The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Eatmon. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Oklahoma State Highway Patrol.


title: Pojoaque Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Involuntary Manslaughter

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Kyle Joseph Harney-Chee was sentenced to 30 months in prison. Chee, 31, of Pojoaque, and an enrolled member of the Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, pleaded guilty in federal court to involuntary manslaughter on Aug. 15, 2023. According to publicly available court records, on January 16, 2021, Chee was traveling down US Highway 84/285 after consuming marijuana and alcohol. While driving, Chee became distracted by his phone and looked away from the road. While he was looking down at his phone, Chee struck a motorcycle from the rear, killing the driver. Chee immediately stopped on the side of US Highway 84/285 and called 911. Chee informed responders that he had consumed alcohol and smoked marijuana prior to operating the vehicle and complied with the follow-up investigation by following directives and assisting officers. Officers found several pre-rolled marijuana cigarettes, one cigarette half-burned, several grams of marijuana, a pipe with a burned substance, as well as several empty and half empty bottles of liquor in Chee’s vehicle. Upon his release from prison, Chee will be subject to 3 years of supervised release. The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew J. McGinley and Mark A. Probasco are prosecuting the case. # # # 24-59


title: Man Charged with Abusive Sexual Contact with Children Under 12

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Tyler Chinana was arraigned in federal court on an indictment charging him with two counts of abusive sexual contact. Chinana, 34, of Jemez Pueblo, and an enrolled member of the Jemez Pueblo, will remain on conditions of release in the third-party custody of a halfway house pending trial, which has not been scheduled. According to court records, between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2012, Chinana engaged in sexual contact with Jane Doe 1, a child who had not then attained the age of 12 years. Then, between Nov. 4 and Nov. 6, 2022, Chinana engaged in sexual contact with Jane Doe 2, a child who had not then attained the age of 12 years. An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Chinana faces up to life in prison. The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Jemez Pueblo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meg Tomlinson is prosecuting the case. View the Indictment # # # 24-60


title: Santa Fe Man Sentenced to 48 Months in Prison for Federal Firearms Offense

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Gilbert Michael Coriz was sentenced to 48 months in prison. Coriz pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition on July 14, 2023. A federal grand jury indicted Coriz on Dec. 8, 2021. According to publicly available court records, on January 1, 2021, at approximately 2:52 am, Santa Fe Police Department (SFPD) officers were dispatched to the scene of gunshots fired at Coriz’s residence. A neighbor captured the shooting incident on a surveillance recording and showed it to officers. The recording depicted a verbal altercation occurring at approximately 2:30 am among a group of people that resulted in at least two shooters firing gunshots at a vehicle as it fled from Coriz’s residence. The SWAT team later arrived to extract the occupants from Coriz’s residence using an amplified audio system. Several hours later, three women and four children exited Coriz’s residence. SFPD officers later obtained a state search warrant for Coriz’s residence. The SWAT team cleared Coriz’s residence and located Coriz hiding inside the water heater closet of the garage. The SWAT team detained Coriz and removed him from the garage. At the time, the SWAT team observed a pistol, rifle, and sawed-off barrel shotgun in the garage. Coriz was previously convicted of aggravated battery, felon in possession of a firearm, tampering with evidence, possession of a controlled substance and residential burglary. As a previously convicted felon, Coriz cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition. Upon his release from prison, Coriz will be subject to three years of supervised release. The Santa Fe Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Santa Fe Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Samuel A. Hurtado is prosecuting the case. # # # 24-61


title: Sex Offender Sentenced to 78 Months in Federal Prison for Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Greenbelt , Maryland - U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman sentenced Delvon Lashawn Redd, age 30, of Virginia Beach, Virginia, yesterday to 78 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for abusive sexual contact with a minor. Judge Boardman also ordered that, upon his release from prison, Redd must continue to register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”). The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge Brian T. Platt of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Washington, D.C. Field Office. According to his guilty plea, from April 17 to May 28, 2022, Redd, a U.S. Navy service member was staying at the Navy Lodge Hotel located at the U.S. Naval Air Station Patuxent River Base in Patuxent River, Maryland. On approximately May 6, 2022, Redd began communicating on a social media platform with an 11-year-old minor female who claimed she was 18 years old. Redd asked the victim to send him pictures of herself and the victim sent a short video of herself. In their online conversations that day, Redd commented on how young the victim looked. Despite that, later that evening Redd drove to the victim’s house in Lexington Park, Maryland, picked the victim up near her home and drove her back to the Navy Lodge, where security footage shows Redd and victim entering his room at approximately 9:44 p.m. Once inside the room, Redd had sexual intercourse with the victim. The following morning, Redd drove the victim back to her house. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the NCIS for its work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Christoper Sarma, who prosecuted the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Three Gang Members Charged in Connection with Murder

body_text: A federal grand jury in Memphis, Tennessee, returned a superseding indictment yesterday bringing new charges against three alleged members of the Unknown Vice Lords (UVL)–Ghost Mob, a criminal street gang, for causing the death of an individual through the use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. The superseding indictment charges Edward Earl Allen Jr., also known as E-Money, 40, of San Bernardino, California; Vincent Grant, also known as V Slash, 40, of Memphis; and Deandre Rodgers, also known as Dre, 27, also of Memphis. “The Unknown Vice Lords street gang engages in violent criminal activity in Memphis and throughout the Western District of Tennessee. Today, we announce charges against three defendants for allegedly committing murder in order to increase their status in the gang,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This prosecution is the first brought in Memphis as part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative — a collaboration with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to address gang-related violence. It will not be the last.” “When we announced the Violent Crime Initiative in Memphis, we promised to double down on our commitment to ensure families can feel safe in their homes and children can play safely on our streets without the threat of gang violence,” said U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz for the Western District of Tennessee. “The crimes alleged in this indictment underscore the tireless effort our prosecutors and agents are putting into fulfilling that promise and targeting the drivers of violence in Memphis with every tool we have. We will continue to build cases like this and hold violent gang members accountable for their actions.” According to court documents, the UVL–Ghost Mob is a subset of the Almighty Vice Lord Nation, which originated in Chicago and eventually spread to other parts of the United States. The UVL–Ghost Mob is a violent criminal street gang that operates throughout the Western District of Tennessee and elsewhere as an extensive criminal enterprise whose members engaged in racketeering activity, including acts involving murder, robbery, and drug trafficking. The indictment alleges that Allen, Grant, and Rodgers used and discharged a firearm during the premeditated killing of an individual for the purpose of gaining entrance to and maintaining and increasing their positions within the UVL–Ghost Mob. “The criminal misuse of a firearm by convicted felons to commit a premediated homicide had a devastating impact on the Memphis community,” said Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Nashville Field Division. “Identifying, arresting, and presenting the perpetrators of violent firearms crimes is at the core of the ATF mission of protecting the public. Yesterday’s indictment highlights ATF’s commitment to the Memphis community through vigorous enforcement of the federal firearms laws.” Each defendant is charged with causing death by use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of life in prison, or the death penalty. The ATF, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and Memphis Police Department investigated the case, with valuable assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service. Trial Attorney Lisa M. Thelwell of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Wendy K. Cornejo for the Western District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case. This case is brought as part of the Criminal Division’s Memphis Violent Crime Initiative, conducted in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee and local, state, and federal law enforcement. The joint effort addresses violent crime by employing, where appropriate, federal laws to prosecute gang members and associates in Memphis. As part of the initiative, the Criminal Division has dedicated attorneys and other resources to prosecuting violent offenders and assisting intervention, prevention, and reentry efforts to address the root causes of violent crime. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: East Hartford Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal Prison for Gang-Related Drug Trafficking

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that LUIS FELICIANO, also known as “Louminaty,” 39, of East Hartford, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 132 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for trafficking fentanyl and other narcotics. According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an investigation into gang-related drug trafficking and firearm possession by members of Los Solidos. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps, revealed that Feliciano distributed fentanyl and heroin, often with a xylazine additive, as well as cocaine and crack, to his Los Solidos associates, other customers and distributors in the Hartford area, and also to individuals in Schenectady, New York and Bangor, Maine. Feliciano was arrested on April 13, 2022, after searches of his East Hartford residence and a Hartford apartment he used to store and process drugs revealed more than two kilograms of fentanyl, more than a kilogram of heroin, quantities of crack and powder cocaine, vials of xylazine, drug processing and packaging items, and 40 rounds of ammunition. On June 8, 2022, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Feliciano and 15 others with various narcotics distribution and firearm possession offenses. Feliciano has been detained since his arrest. On February 17, 2023, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of heroin. Feliciano’s criminal history includes felony convictions for drug distribution, firearm possession, and assault offenses, and he was on state probation at the time of his federal arrest in April 2022. This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and the Hartford Police Department. The Task Force includes members of the FBI, Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, New Britain Police Department, West Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ruff 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 .


component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – A federal grand jury in Memphis, Tennessee, returned a superseding indictment yesterday bringing new charges against three alleged members of the Unknown Vice Lords (UVL)– Ghost Mob, a criminal street gang, for causing the death of an individual through the use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. The superseding indictment charges Edward Earl Allen Jr. , also known as E-Money, 40, of San Bernardino, California; Vincent Grant , also known as V Slash, 40, of Memphis; and Deandre Rodgers , also known as Dre, 27, also of Memphis. “The Unknown Vice Lords street gang engages in violent criminal activity in Memphis and throughout the Western District of Tennessee. Today, we announce charges against three defendants for allegedly committing murder in order to increase their status in the gang,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This prosecution is the first brought in Memphis as part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative — a collaboration with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to address gang-related violence. It will not be the last.” “When we announced the Violent Crime Initiative in Memphis , we promised to double down on our commitment to ensure families can feel safe in their homes and children can play safely on our streets without the threat of gang violence,” said U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz for the Western District of Tennessee. “The crimes alleged in this indictment underscore the tireless effort our prosecutors and agents are putting into fulfilling that promise and targeting the drivers of violence in Memphis with every tool we have. We will continue to build cases like this and hold violent gang members accountable for their actions.” According to court documents, the UVL–Ghost Mob is a subset of the Almighty Vice Lord Nation, which originated in Chicago and eventually spread to other parts of the United States. The UVL–Ghost Mob is a violent criminal street gang that operates throughout the Western District of Tennessee and elsewhere as an extensive criminal enterprise whose members engaged in racketeering activity, including acts involving murder, robbery, and drug trafficking. The indictment alleges that Allen, Grant, and Rodgers used and discharged a firearm during the premeditated killing of an individual for the purpose of gaining entrance to and maintaining and increasing their positions within the UVL–Ghost Mob. “The criminal misuse of a firearm by convicted felons to commit a premediated homicide had a devastating impact on the Memphis community,” said Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Nashville Field Division. “Identifying, arresting, and presenting the perpetrators of violent firearms crimes is at the core of the ATF mission of protecting the public. Yesterday’s indictment highlights ATF’s commitment to the Memphis community through vigorous enforcement of the federal firearms laws. Each defendant is charged with causing death by use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, which carries a maximum sentence of life. If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of life in prison, or the death penalty. The ATF, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and Memphis Police Department investigated the case, with valuable assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service. Trial Attorney Lisa M. Thelwell of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Wendy K. Cornejo for the Western District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case. This case is brought as part of the Criminal Division’s Memphis Violent Crime Initiative, conducted in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee and local, state, and federal law enforcement. The joint effort addresses violent crime by employing, where appropriate, federal laws to prosecute gang members and associates in Memphis. As part of the initiative, the Criminal Division has dedicated attorneys and other resources to prosecuting violent offenders and assisting intervention, prevention, and reentry efforts to address the root causes of violent crime. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: La Crosse County Man Sentenced to 5 Years for Trafficking Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Alfredo Almanza, 43, La Crosse, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 5 years in federal prison for possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine for distribution and maintaining a drug trafficking place. Almanza pleaded guilty to these charges on October 31, 2023. Law enforcement began investigating Almanza for drug trafficking after receiving complaints from citizens that he was selling methamphetamine out of his home in La Crosse County. On March 15, 2023, law enforcement officers followed a known drug trafficker as he drove to the alley behind Almanza’s home, then exit his vehicle and return a short time later. Law enforcement stopped and searched the vehicle as it left Almanza’s house and found 95 grams of methamphetamine. GPS records indicated that this drug trafficker had been at Almanza’s residence four other times in the month of March. On March 22, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Almanza’s home. They found approximately 284 grams of methamphetamine along with drug trafficking paraphernalia. An examination of Almanza’s cell phone messages showed communications involving the sale of methamphetamine between Almanza and other individuals. At sentencing, Judge Conley noted that, despite a prior conviction for methamphetamine distribution, Almanza continued to sell methamphetamine, which endangered others. In ordering this sentence, Judge Conley further noted that this prison term would be longer that any previous sentence Almanza had served and encouraged him to use the time productively, including by engaging in available drug treatment programs. The charges against Almanza were the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse and Tomah Police Departments and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn Ginsberg and Colleen Lennon prosecuted this case.


title: Arizona Woman Sentenced for Concealing Funds Intended to Support Acts of Terrorism

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jill Marie Jones, 37, formerly of Chandler, was sentenced on Monday by United States District Judge Dominic W. Lanza to 78 months in prison, followed by 25 years of supervised release. Jones pleaded guilty to Concealment of Funds Intended to Support Acts of Terrorism. As early as 2019, Jones regularly posted anti-American content on social media platforms because she believed the United States military unjustly treated Muslims overseas. In 2020, Jones began communicating online with a person she believed to be a member of al Qaeda, but who was in fact working for the FBI. On May 10, 2020, when asked by this individual if she supported al Qaeda and their struggle against the kuffar (non-believers), Jones responded, “Yes, I do.” Jones communicated with this individual about traveling to Afghanistan to support al Qaeda because “supporting AQ against the oppressors would be an honour.” On May 18, 2020, when asked whether she could spare any money to buy weapons for al Qaeda to kill American soldiers, Jones responded that, while she was not well-off financially, the U.S. government’s COVID stimulus checks presented an opportunity: “The timing is interesting. Since because of coronavirus we all got government money. Free money basically. ... [I]t would be most ironic the money from that goes for this . . . They give us free money, and I turn it around on them.” Jones agreed to send money, via a prepaid credit card. After researching prepaid cards online, Jones determined that an online purchase could be traced back to her because it required the disclosure of personal information. In order to conceal the source, ownership, and control of her funds, Jones traveled to a national retail store and purchased a $500 prepaid credit card using the COVID stimulus money provided to her by the U.S. government. She then sent the card information to the purported al Qaeda member with the message, “may it help them to be victorious.” Jones intended for these funds to be used by al Qaeda to purchase rifle scopes for use against American soldiers in Afghanistan. The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Chang, David Pimsner, and Lisa Jennis, District of Arizona, Phoenix handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-20-0634-PHX-DWL RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-015_Jones # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Utah Drug Trafficker Admits to Selling Narcotics, Sentenced to 65 Months in Prison

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Luis Alexander Coronado, 25, of Herriman, Utah, was sentenced to over 5 years’ imprisonment, three years’ supervised release and the forfeiture of $23,074 by a U.S. District Court Judge as a result of a guilty plea. Coronado engaged in a serious drug trafficking offense involving large quantities of heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl in the District of Utah. According to court documents and statements made at the change of plea hearing, Coronado possessed heroin that he intended to distribute. On March 7, 2023, Coronado was arrested after a search warrant was executed at his residence. In his home, agents found approximately 3500 grams of heroin, 41,000 pills containing fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine, all of which Coronado admitted he intended to distribute to others. Agents also seized $23,074, which Coronado admitted was obtained by selling drugs. See prior press release here . “Community safety is a top priority,” said U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah. “I want to thank law enforcement and my office’s prosecutors for their commitment to removing narcotics from criminals like Coronado who put our communities at risk." “The amount of illicit drugs seized from Luis Coronado was enough to potentially kill thousands of Utahns,” said Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha of the Salt Lake City FBI. “Countless lives have been destroyed by the overdose epidemic and the FBI and our partners will pursue those who fuel these addictions in our communities.” The case was investigated by the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney, Vernon G. Stejskal of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah 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. The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.


title: Montgomery County Man Sentenced to 90 Years in Federal Prison After Secretly Recording Children in Bathrooms and Sexually Abusing Children he Drugged with Methamphetamine

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Stan Eugene Hayes Jr., 40, of Montgomery County, has been sentenced to 90 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to ten counts of sexual exploitation and attempted sexual exploitation of a child. According to court documents and evidence introduced during the sentencing hearing, on October 13, 2022, Stan Hayes was on probation for a prior felony offense when Montgomery County Probation Officers, assisted by members of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, conducted a probation search of his home. Officers found methamphetamine and printed sexual images of children in plain sight. Investigators later discovered that the defendant hid cameras in bathrooms and bedrooms in two different residences belonging to his friends. Investigators searching his electronic devices recovered hundreds of explicit images and videos of six identified children using the toilet and bathing, created with hidden cameras. Law enforcement officers also recovered over 1,600 files created by the defendant depicting two other children being caused to engage in sexually explicit conduct, including with the defendant. The sexual abuse of these children took place in Tennessee in the early 2000’s. Investigators learned that the defendant gave these two victims methamphetamine. Investigators also found captions that the defendant added to many of the abuse images describing in detail the sexual abuse that he inflicted on the children, where he also stated that he gave the children methamphetamine to cause them to “submit” to him and “break their will to put up any more fight.” As a result, one of the children ultimately became addicted to methamphetamine. Investigators recovered electronic evidence that the defendant had been keeping tabs on his Tennessee victims via Facebook, over a decade after he sexually abused them. Investigators located approximately 350,000 images and videos of other child sexual abuse material that Hayes downloaded and traded online. Law enforcement officers also located a variety of other items relating to child sexual abuse, including: a collection of his victims’ underwear, a digital picture frame displaying child sexual abuse material, and a child-sized sex doll. “No child should ever suffer the nightmares this man inflicted on so many,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “No prison sentence can undo the trauma these victims suffered, but I hope that the victims can take another step towards healing and closure knowing that the monster who hurt them so deeply will never hurt another child ever again.” “There are no words that will help erase the memory of the horrific abuse these children suffered at the hands of this predator, but I hope this sentence gives them some solace in knowing the FBI and our law enforcement partners worked tirelessly to hold him accountable and ensure he will never again be free to inflict these horrible crimes on any other child,” said Herbert J. Stapleton, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office. The FBI investigated this case, with assistance from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge James P. Hanlon. Judge Hanlon also ordered that Hayes be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for life following any release from federal prison. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys MaryAnn T. Mindrum and Kyle M. Sawa as well as former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina M. Korobov, who prosecuted this case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood , a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. If you are a victim of child sexual exploitation, please contact your local police department. Resources for victims of child exploitation can be found on our website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdin/project-safe-childhood ###


title: Texas Man Charged with Filing Tax Returns that Falsely Reported His Cryptocurrency Gains

component: Tax Division

body_text: A federal grand jury indicted a Texas man yesterday with filing false tax returns and structuring cash deposits to avoid currency transaction reporting requirements. According to the indictment, between 2017 and 2019, Frank Richard Ahlgren III, of Austin, filed false tax returns that underreported or did not report the sale of $4 million worth of bitcoin in which he had substantial gains. All taxpayers are required to report any sale proceeds and gains or losses from the sale of cryptocurrency, such as bitcoin, on a tax return. In 2017, Ahlgren allegedly used the proceeds from the sale of approximately $3.7 million worth of bitcoin to purchase a residence. Ahlgren allegedly filed a false 2017 tax return that inflated the price he originally paid for the bitcoin, thereby underreporting his capital gain from the sale. In 2018 and 2019, Ahlgren allegedly sold bitcoin for more than $650,000, and allegedly failed to report his sales of bitcoin on his 2018 and 2019 tax returns. The indictment also charges that after selling some of his bitcoin to an individual in exchange for cash, Ahlgren made a series of bank deposits of the cash in amounts less than $10,000 each to avoid triggering currency transaction reporting requirements. Ahlgren faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each structuring count and three years in prison for each false return count. A federal district court judge 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 Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation and the Texas Office of Attorney General are investigating the case. Assistant Chief Michael C. Boteler and Trial Attorney Mary Frances Richardson of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney William R. Harris for the Western District of Texas are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law .


title: Travelers Rest Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: G REENVILLE, S.C. — Michael Earl Mashburn, 49, of Travelers Rest, was sentenced to more than seven years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Evidence presented to the court showed that in the early morning hours of July 2, 2022, the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office was called to investigate reports of a suspicious person at a residence in Travelers Rest. Greenville County deputies responded and found Mashburn sleeping in his car in the homeowner’s driveway. Mashburn woke up and told the deputies he did not know how he arrived at that location. As Mashburn stepped out of the vehicle, deputies observed the handle of a gun protruding from his pocket. Deputies recovered a loaded .38 caliber handgun as well as small amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl, and placed Mashburn under arrest. At the time of his arrest, Mashburn had previously been convicted of multiple felony offenses, including possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, pointing-and-presenting a firearm, possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a violent crime, failure to stop for blue lights and multiple instances of burglary, larceny, possession of a stolen vehicle, and possession of various drugs. United States District Judge Henry M. Herlong sentenced Mashburn to 92 months imprisonment, 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 Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives and the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Schoen is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Elmira man with prior child sex conviction going to prison on new child pornography charge

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: Rochester, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Eugene R. Criss, Jr., 55, of Elmira, NY, who was convicted of possession of child pornography by an individual with a prior sex offense conviction, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who handled the case, stated that in July 2013, Criss was convicted of Criminal Sex Act – 1st Degree – Victim Less Than 11 Years Old. On April 5, 2023, Criss possessed a cellphone, a thumb drive, a tablet, and a laptop, which contained over 1,000 images and videos of child pornography, some of which depicted prepubescent children engaged in sexually explicit conduct and violence or the sexual abuse of an infant or toddler. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia. # # # #


title: Union Man on Supervised Release Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking

body_text: SPARTANBURG, S.C. — William Michael Hall, of Union, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. Hall had been released from federal prison in April of 2020, following a 10-year sentence for a previous federal drug offense, and was still on federal supervised release at the time of the incident. Evidence presented to the court showed that in early 2021, agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration learned that Hall was receiving large shipments of drugs through the mail. Additionally, agents seized telephone messages between Hall and a drug distributor in Ohio showing that Hall had been supplying the distributor with large quantities of fentanyl and other drugs since at least August of 2020. Finally, on July 29, 2021, deputies with the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office intercepted a courier Hall had recruited to transport drugs from Atlanta. A search of the courier’s vehicle revealed approximately one kilogram of fentanyl and five kilograms of methamphetamine. Deputies also determined that Hall was traveling in tandem with the courier in a nearby vehicle. United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins sentenced Hall to 210 months imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. Furthermore, because Hall was on federal supervised release at the time of his offense, the court sentenced him to serve an additional 30 months in prison consecutive to the sentence imposed, bringing his total sentence to 20 years. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Schoen is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Former Postal Employee Pleads Guilty To Workers’ Compensation Fraud

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Johnnie Franklin Sullivan, Sr., 73, of Mooresville, N.C., appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan C. Rodriguez today and pleaded guilty to workers’ compensation fraud for a job-connected injury, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western of North Carolina. Jeff Krafels, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General (USPS OIG) for the Mid-Atlantic Area Field Office (MAAFO), which oversees Charlotte, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to filed court documents and today’s plea hearing, Sullivan, Sr. was employed by the U.S. Postal Service as a mail processing clerk in Charlotte. In May 2005, Sullivan, Sr. sustained an injury at work. Later that year, Sullivan, Sr. began to receive workers’ compensation benefits administered by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP) for employees covered by the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA). In order to receive and maintain FECA benefits, Sullivan, Sr. was required to submit periodic reports regarding his physical condition and his inability to perform a Postal Service job. Court documents show that, on multiple occasions, Sullivan, Sr. made false statements and material misrepresentations regarding his physical abilities and medical restrictions. Among the false claims Sullivan, Sr. made was that he was unable to sit for long periods of time, that he could only drive short distances, that he needed to use a cane when he walked, and that he was unable to travel or engage in hobbies and other recreational activities due to his medical condition. As a result of the false statements, over the years Sullivan, Sr. received payments totaling more than $103,261. According to court records, during the time that Sullivan, Sr. made these false claims, he was posting on social media photos of his many long-distance trips and physically rigorous activities. For example, Sullivan, Sr. posted photos of himself traveling to places in Europe and the United States; walking long distances over different types of terrain; ziplining in Niagara Falls, New York; using surf boards and boogie boards during beach vacations; and participating in shag dancing events. “For years, Sullivan, Sr. lied about his pain and suffering caused by an on-the-job injury to bilk the federal workers’ compensation program out of thousands of dollars, and used the funds to pay for recreational activities,” said U.S. Attorney King. “When individuals defraud an important program meant to protect injured federal workers, my Office will make sure they are held accountable for their actions.” “Most postal employees who collect workers’ compensation benefits have legitimate claims. A small percentage, however, abuse the system and cost the Postal Service millions of dollars in fraudulent claims and enforcement costs. Therefore, USPS OIG Special Agents will continue to relentlessly pursue those identified as fraudulently collecting workers’ compensation funds from the Postal Service,” said USPS OIG Special Agent in Charge Krafels. Sullivan, Sr. pleaded guilty to making a false report in connection with federal compensation benefits and theft of government funds. He was released on bond after the court hearing. A sentencing date has not been set. The USPS OIG investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth M. Smith of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is in charge of the prosecution.


title: District Man Pleads Guilty to Child Cruelty and Felony Strangulation

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Keenan Smith, 42, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to one count of second-degree cruelty to children and one count of felony strangulation for an assault on a child which took place in Washington, D.C., on November 17, 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves. U.S. Superior Court Judge Lynn Leibovitz set a sentencing date of April 5, 2024. Smith faces a sentence of up to five years for felony strangulation and up to 10 years for second-degree child cruelty to children. The prison term will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. According to the government’s evidence, on November 17, 2023, Smith grabbed the child by his throat, using both of his hands, and slammed the child to the floor, causing the child to hit the back of his head. The defendant strangled the child by squeezing the child’s throat with both of his hands, restricting the normal circulation of blood, and breathing of the child. Smith strangled the child until he lost hearing and vision and blacked out. Smith fled the scene and was arrested the next month pursuant to an arrest warrant. He has been in custody since January 23, 2024, where he will remain until sentencing. This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly K. Smith of the Domestic Violence Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.


title: Justice Department Announces Charges and Arrest in Two Separate Illicit Technology Transfer Schemes to Benefit Governments of China and Iran

body_text: In two separate cases out of U.S. Attorneys’ Offices on opposite coasts, several individuals are charged – one of whom was arrested yesterday – in connection with sophisticated schemes to transfer sensitive technology, goods, and information for the benefit of hostile foreign adversaries, in violation of U.S. law. In the Eastern District of New York, two Iranian nationals are charged with conspiring to export equipment used in the aerospace industry to the Government of Iran, in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), in connection with an alleged conspiracy to illegally export U.S. goods and technology without the required licenses. In the Central District of California, a man was arrested for allegedly stealing trade secrets developed for use by the U.S. government to detect nuclear missile launches and track ballistic and hypersonic missiles. “One year ago, I launched the Disruptive Technology Strike Force to strike back against adversaries trying to steal our nation’s most powerful technology and use it against us,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “Since then, working with our partners at the Commerce Department, we have arrested more than a dozen corporate executives, engineers, distributors, and other high-profile targets on charges that include sanctions and export control violations, and other offenses involving the unlawful transfer of sensitive information and technology. Today’s charges against three additional defendants for seeking to illegally transfer U.S. software and semiconductor technology with military applications to benefit Iran and China highlight the critical importance of our fight against this national security threat.” “The FBI continues to take aggressive investigative action to hold accountable those who seek to violate sanctions and illegally provide sensitive technology to foreign adversaries,” said FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. “Stealing U.S. trade secrets and technology, especially when it can be used for military purposes, will not be tolerated. We will continue to work closely with our partners in the Disruptive Technology Strike Force to stop such activity and protect the national security of the United States.” “In its first year, the Disruptive Technology Strike Force has strengthened enforcement and disrupted numerous criminal schemes to smuggle highly-sensitive technology that foreign adversaries wield to advance their military and other malign agendas,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The cases announced today underscore the commitment of the Justice Department and our partners to disrupt illegal efforts to siphon off U.S. ingenuity and to safeguard American security and innovation. “ “In the just one year since the launch of the Disruptive Technology Strike Force, we’ve stood up over a dozen local investigative cells, opened scores of investigations, and brought criminal charges against more than a dozen individuals and companies associated with nation-state adversaries,” said Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod. “Today’s announcement provides the latest example of our unwavering mission — keeping our country’s most sensitive technologies out of the world’s most dangerous hands.” United States v. Bazzazi (EDNY) Note: View a copy of the indictment here. According to court documents, between January 2008 and August 2019, Abolfazi Bazzazi, 79, of Iran, and his son Mohammad Resa Bazzazi, 43, of Iran, and their co-conspirators sought to evade U.S. sanctions and export laws by working to procure goods and technology, including aeronautical ground support equipment, ultraviolet flame detectors, and firefighting equipment, from U.S. companies for end users in Iran, including the Government of Iran, without obtaining the required licenses or other authorization from the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). “As alleged, the Bazzazis devised an intricate scheme to evade U.S. export laws in obtaining U.S. equipment and technology to be exported to Iran and for the Government of Iran which has been designated by the United States government as a state sponsor of terrorism,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “The defendants allegedly attempted to obtain commercial and military aircraft items from multiple U.S. companies that supply the military, aerospace, and firefighting industries. These charges demonstrate the resolve of this office and the Department of Justice to prosecute those who seek to aid the Government of Iran, in violation of U.S. sanctions.” According to the indictment, the defendants sought to obtain components that could be used by Iran’s aerospace industry. Additionally, they disguised the final destination of U.S. goods by attempting to forward them through intermediaries in Europe and elsewhere. As alleged, the Bazzazis acted on behalf of the Government of Iran. The Bazzazis are charged with conspiracy to violate the IEEPA, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; and smuggling goods from the United States, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The defendants remain at large. The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) and FBI are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Francisco J. Navarro, Jonathan P. Lax, Nomi D. Berenson, and Adam Amir for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case, with assistance provided by Trial Attorney Adam Small of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. United States v. Gong (CDCA) Note: View a copy of the complaint here. As alleged, Chenguang Gong, 57, of San Jose, California, was arrested yesterday in San Jose and is expected to make his initial appearance today in the Northern District of California. Gong is a native of China and became a United States citizen in 2011. Gong is charged in a criminal complaint with theft of trade secrets. According to court documents, Gong transferred more than 3,600 files from the research and development company where he worked — identified in court documents as the victim company — to personal storage devices during his brief tenure with the company last year. The files Gong allegedly transferred include blueprints for sophisticated infrared sensors designed for use in space-based systems to detect nuclear missile launches and track ballistic and hypersonic missiles, and blueprints for sensors designed to enable U.S. military aircraft to detect incoming heat-seeking missiles and take countermeasures, including by jamming the missiles’ infrared tracking ability. Some of these files were later found on storage devices seized from Gong’s temporary residence in Thousand Oaks, according to the affidavit in support of the complaint. Together with the U.S. government and others, the affidavit states, the victim company “has invested tens of millions each year for more than seven years to develop the technology,” and it “would be extremely damaging economically” to the victim company if the technology were obtained by its competitors and “dangerous to U.S. national security if obtained by international actors.” “We will do everything to protect our nation’s security, including from foreign threats,” said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California. “Mr. Gong, who had previously sought to provide the People’s Republic of China with information to aid its military, stole sensitive and confidential information related to detecting nuclear missile launches and tracking ballistic and hypersonic missiles. We know that foreign actors, including the PRC, are actively seeking to steal our technology, but we will remain vigilant against this threat remain vigilant against this threat by safeguarding the innovations of American businesses and researchers.” “The FBI is committed to protecting our nation’s critical technologies and to pursuing those who look to steal trade secret information for their benefit or for the benefit of foreign adversaries,” said Assistant Director in Charge Donald Alway of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office. “The theft of trade secrets, especially of sensitive military technology, undermines our national security, erodes U.S. competitiveness in the global market, and harms the businesses and individuals who have invested time, resources, and creativity into developing innovative technologies. Our actions today send a strong message that anyone willing to steal proprietary information from U.S. businesses will face consequences in the criminal justice system.” As alleged in the affidavit, the victim company hired Gong in January 2023 to work at one its laboratories as an application-specific integrated circuit design manager responsible for the design, development and verification of its infrared sensors. Beginning on approximately March 30, 2023, and continuing until his termination on April 26, 2023, Gong transferred thousands of files from his work laptop to three personal storage devices, including hundreds of files after he had accepted a job on April 5, 2023, at one of the victim company’s main competitors. Many of the files Gong allegedly transferred contained proprietary and trade secret information related to the development and design of a readout integrated circuit that allows space-based systems to detect missile launches and track ballistic and hypersonic missiles while providing resilience and a readout integrated circuit that allows aircraft to track incoming threats in low visibility environments. Gong also allegedly transferred trade secret files relating to the development of “next generation” sensors capable of detecting low observable targets while demonstrating increased survivability in space, as well as the blueprints for the mechanical assemblies used to house and cryogenically cool the victim company’s sensors. This information was among the victim company’s most important trade secrets worth hundreds of millions of dollars, according to the complaint, and many of the files were marked “[VICTIM COMPANY] PROPRIETARY,” “FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY,” “PROPRIETARY INFORMATION,” and “EXPORT CONTROLLED.” During the investigation, the affidavit states, the FBI discovered that, between approximately 2014 and 2022 while employed at several major technology companies in the United States, “Gong submitted numerous applications to ‘Talent Programs’ administered by the People’s Republic of China government.” The affidavit explains that “the PRC has established talent programs through which it identifies individuals located outside the PRC who have expert skills, abilities, and knowledge that would aid in transforming the PRC’s economy, including its military capabilities.” To entice applicants, “the PRC government rewards Talent Recruits with significant financial and social incentives,” noting that the “salaries often meet or exceed salaries the Talent Recruits draw through their non-PRC employment.” In 2014, while employed at a U.S. information technology company headquartered in Dallas, Texas, the affidavit states that Gong sent a business proposal to a contact at the 38th Research Institute of the China Electronics Technology Group Corporation, a high-tech research institute in China focused on both military and civilian products. In his proposal, translated from Chinese, Gong described a plan to produce high-performance analog-to-digital converters similar to those produced by his employer, noting that the global market for those products “is basically monopolized by several companies in the United States” and that the export of those items from the United States requires a “government export license.” On May 8, 2023, the FBI executed a search warrant at Gong’s temporary residence in Thousand Oaks, California, and recovered several digital devices containing hundreds of documents marked as confidential or proprietary belonging to the U.S. information technology company, the affidavit alleges. In another Talent Program application in September 2020, the affidavit states, Gong proposed to develop “low light/night vision” image sensors for use in military night vision goggles and civilian applications. In a video presentation included with Gong’s submission, Gong used a video containing the model number of a sensor developed by an international defense, aerospace, and security company where Gong worked from 2015 to 2019. According to the affidavit, Gong also travelled to China several times to seek Talent Program funding to develop sophisticated analog-to-digital converters. In his Talent Program applications, Gong underscored that the high-performance analog-to-digital converters he proposed to develop in China had military applications, explaining that they “directly determine the accuracy and range of radar systems” and that “[m]issile navigation systems also often use radar front-end systems.” In a 2019 email, translated from Chinese, Gong remarked that he “took a risk” by traveling to China to participate in the Talent Programs “because [he] worked for . . . an American military industry company[]” and thought he could “do something” to contribute to China’s “high-end military integrated circuits.” The affidavit states that Gong “continued to seek funding from Chinese government programs through at least March 2022.” BIS and the FBI are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nisha Chandran and David Lachman for the Central District of California are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance provided by Trial Attorney Brendan Geary of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. These cases were coordinated through the Disruptive Technology Strike Force, an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains, and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation-states. Under the leadership of the Assistant Attorney General for National Security and the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Enforcement, the Strike Force leverages tools and authorities across the U.S. government to enhance the criminal and administrative enforcement of export control laws. An indictment and a criminal complaint are merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Firearm and Drug Offenses

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Haverhill man with multiple prior felony convictions, including manslaughter, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to possessing a loaded firearm and drugs intended for distribution. Ramon Silvelo-Miles, 34, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. U.S. District Court Judge Dennis F. Saylor IV, scheduled sentencing for May 9, 2024. Silvelo-Miles was charged by criminal complaint in January 2022. In the early morning hours of Sept. 20, 2021, Silvelo-Miles was stopped by law enforcement for driving erratically on Route 24 in West Bridgewater. Field sobriety tests administered on-site indicated that Silvelo-Miles was too impaired to drive. A subsequent search of the defendant’s car uncovered over 200 grams of cocaine and 9 grams of fentanyl packaged in small, clear plastic bags in a small backpack inside the glove compartment. Hidden by the defendant next to the backpack in the glove compartment was a Raven Arms MP-25 .25 caliber pistol within a black sock. The gun was loaded with one bullet in the chamber and five bullets in the magazine. Silvelo-Miles is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to multiple prior felony convictions including a 2014 conviction for manslaughter. The charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime provides for a minimum mandatory sentence of five years in prison, up to life, which must be served consecutively with any other term of imprisonment imposed in the case, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred Wyshak, III of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Mexican Springs Man Pleads Guilty to Second Degree Murder

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Timothy Chischilly pleaded guilty in federal court to second degree murder. Chischilly, 53, of Mexican Springs, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. Chischilly and his co-defendant, Stacey Yellowhorse, were indicted by a federal grand jury on Aug. 11, 2020. According to publicly available court documents, Chischilly and Yellowhorse, his then girlfriend, invited Jane Doe to sleep over at Chilschilly’s house within the exterior boundaries of the Navajo Nation on the night of Jan. 23, 2020. During the night, Chischilly and Yellowhorse killed Jane Doe by nailing her to the floor, hammering a nail into her head, and bludgeoning her to death. Afterwards, Chischilly and Yellowhorse burned Jane Doe’s body and spread the remains at different locations. Chischilly confessed to the murder to his family days later. At sentencing, Chischilly faces up to life in prison. Yellowhorse remains in custody pending trial, which is currently scheduled for March 25, 2024. The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and the Gallup Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly Brawley and Tavo Hall are prosecuting the case. View the Plea Agreement # # # 24-62


title: Six Defendants Charged with Defrauding Court-Appointed Criminal Defense Attorneys

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, two indictments were unsealed charging six defendants with defrauding court-appointed criminal defense attorneys. As alleged in the indictments, the defendants deposited stolen checks intended to reimburse the attorneys for their time and expenditures representing indigent defendants in federal court. Three defendants also allegedly stole the identity of an attorney and opened bank accounts using the attorney’s stolen identity. Five defendants are scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Taryn A. Merkl at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn. One defendant is still at large. Today’s indictments are the first charges brought in the government’s ongoing criminal investigation into the widespread theft and depositing of checks issued to participants in the federal criminal justice system. The investigation has identified over $1 million in checks issued by the Department of the Treasury on behalf of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts that have been stolen and deposited into unauthorized accounts since 2021. The intended recipients of these checks include court-appointed criminal defense attorneys, paralegals, investigators, translators, court reporters, and jurors. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Daniel Brubaker, Inspector-in-Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, New York Division (USPIS) and Tammy Whitcomb Hull, Inspector General, United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS OIG) announced the charges. Mr. Peace expressed his appreciation for the New York City Police Department and United States Marshals Service for their assistance in this case. Overview The stolen checks charged in the two indictments were intended to pay private attorneys who serve on the Criminal Justice Act (CJA) Panel in the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York. When a criminal defendant cannot afford an attorney, the court often appoints a member of the CJA Panel to handle the representation. The Department of the Treasury issues checks to the CJA attorney on behalf of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, which is sent by mail to the CJA attorney’s address of record. In particularly complex criminal cases, reimbursement checks can exceed $100,000. When a reimbursement check is lost or stolen, issuance of a replacement check typically takes several months—a process that leaves the CJA attorneys uncompensated for a significant time as they await a new check. United States v. Tyquan Robinson, Ada Tavarez, and Markel Washington As alleged in the indictment and court documents, Ada Tavarez impersonated a CJA attorney and then opened bank accounts using that CJA attorney’s stolen identity. In or about June 2023, Tavarez presented fraudulent identification documents to a bank teller with the CJA attorney’s personal data, including a driver’s license with Tavarez’s photograph along with the CJA attorney’s name and birthdate. On the account opening paperwork, Tavarez listed a fraudulent email account containing the CJA attorney’s personal identifiers in the email account name. After the bank opened the accounts in the name of the CJA attorney, Tavarez returned to the branch several days later. She then attempted to deposit a stolen $125,386.81 check containing a forged signature for the CJA attorney. The defendants Markel Washington and Tyquan Robinson facilitated this scheme with Tavarez. Washington accessed the fraudulent bank accounts online. When the bank placed a hold on the check, Washington made several calls to the bank asking that the funds be released. Also, saved in Washington’s iCloud account were several versions of the same photograph of Tavarez printed on the fraudulent driver’s license with the CJA attorney’s name and personal data. Robinson contributed to this scheme by accessing the fraudulent email account that had been created using the CJA attorney’s personal identifiers and submitted to the bank at account opening. Robinson also listed his telephone number as the fraudulent email account’s recovery telephone number. In addition, a note in Robinson’s iCloud account contained the CJA attorney’s personal data. The defendants have been charged with bank fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud. Tavarez has also been charged with one count of aggravated identity theft. United States v. Nicholas Barton, et al. As alleged in the indictment and court documents, between at least November 2020 and October 2022, the defendants Nicholas Barton, Richard Reid and a third co-defendant participated in a scheme to cash checks issued to third parties into accounts over which the defendants had access and control. One of the stolen checks they deposited was issued to a CJA attorney in the amount of $14,856. After the CJA attorney’s stolen check was cashed in Reid’s bank account, all three defendants benefited from its proceeds, by withdrawing cash from ATMs, making purchases at stores and restaurants, transmitting payments among each other and to others through cash transfer mobile applications, and booking flight tickets. Each defendant has been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud; wire fraud; and bank fraud. The charges in the indictments are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Assistant United States Attorney James R. Simmons is in charge of the prosecutions, with assistance from EDNY Special Agents Anthony Cunder and Rebecca Sidhu. The Defendants : TYQUAN ROBINSON Age: 29 East Orange, New Jersey ADA TAVAREZ Age: 58 Bronx, New York MARKEL WASHINGTON Age: 28 Bronx, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-51 (AMD) (LB) NICHOLAS BARTON Age: 27 Brooklyn, New York RICHARD REID Age: 26 New York, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-49 (NRM)(RML) # # #


title: Justice Department Secures Agreement with Staffing Company to Resolve Claims of Employment Discrimination

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it has secured a settlement agreement with Latitude Inc. (Latitude), a staffing company in Hanover, Maryland. The agreement resolves the department’s determination that Latitude violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by discriminating against certain non-U.S. citizens with permission to work in the United States and excluding them from job opportunities based on their citizenship status. “Companies cannot unlawfully exclude all non-U.S. citizens with permission to work in the United States from job opportunities based on their citizenship status,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to hold accountable those who engage in such behavior that violates our nation’s federal civil rights laws.” The department’s investigation determined that, from at least April 2022 through July 2023, Latitude refused to refer, recruit or hire any non-U.S. citizens for several positions with a client company that had requested the restriction without any legal basis. These actions harmed lawful permanent resident workers, non-citizen national workers and workers who have been granted asylum or refugee status by unlawfully deterring them from applying to and failing to advance those who did apply for further consideration in the hiring process. Under the terms of the settlement, Latitude will train its personnel on the INA’s requirements, revise its employment policies and be subject to departmental monitoring and reporting requirements. Latitude will pay civil penalties to the United States. The Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. Among other things, the statute generally prohibits discrimination based on citizenship status and national origin in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices ; retaliation and intimidation . Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video . Applicants or employees who believe they were discriminated against based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing, recruitment or during the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify), or subjected to retaliation, may file a charge . The public can also call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); sign up for a live webinar or watch an on-demand presentation ; email IER@usdoj.gov or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Sign up for email updates from IER.


title: El Departamento de Justicia llega a un acuerdo con una empresa de dotación de personal para resolver unas acusaciones de discriminación en el empleo

body_text: El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha llegado a un acuerdo conciliatorio con Latitude Inc. (Latitude), una empresa de dotación de personal en Hanover, Maryland. El acuerdo resuelve la determinación del departamento que Latitude vulneró la ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad (INA, por sus siglas en inglés) al discriminar a ciertos no ciudadanos de los EE. UU. con permiso para trabajar en los Estados Unidos y los excluyó de oportunidades laborales con base en su estatus de ciudadanía. «Las compañías no pueden excluir, de manera ilegal, a todo no ciudadano de los EE. UU. que tenga permiso para trabajar en los Estados Unidos de oportunidades laborales debido a estatus de ciudadanía», dijo Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «El Departamento de Justicia seguirá responsabilizando a aquellos cuyas acciones vulneren las leyes federales de derechos civiles de nuestra nación». La investigación del departamento determinó que, desde al menos abril del 2022 hasta julio del 2023, Latitude se negó a recomendar, reclutar o contratar a no ciudadanos de los EE. UU. para varios puestos en una empresa cliente que había solicitado la restricción sin ninguna base jurídica. Estas acciones perjudicaron a los trabajadores que son residentes permanentes legales, a los trabajadores nacionales que no son ciudadanos y a los trabajadores a los que se les ha otorgado el asilo o el estatus de refugiado, al disuadirles, de manera ilícita, de presentar una solicitud y no avanzar por el proceso de contratación, para mayor consideración, a aquellos que sí solicitaron un trabajo. En virtud de los términos del acuerdo, Latitude capacitará a su personal en cuanto a los requisitos de la INA, revisará sus políticas de empleo y que se someterá a los requisitos de supervisión y declaración departamentales. Por otra parte, Latitude pagará sanciones civiles a los Estados Unidos. La Sección de Derechos de Inmigrantes y Empleados («IER», por sus siglas en inglés) de la División de Derechos Civiles es responsable de hacer cumplir la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA. Entre otras cosas, por lo general, la ley prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de estatus de ciudadanía y nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido o reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión, prácticas documentales injustas y represalias e intimidación . Aprenda más sobre el trabajo de la IER y cómo conseguir ayuda mediante este vídeo corto . Aquellos aspirantes o empleados que creen haber sido discriminados por motivos de su ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido, reclutamiento o verificación de la elegibilidad para trabajar (Formulario I-9 e E-Verify) o sujetos a represalias pueden presentar una denuncia . El público también puede llamar a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores al 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); llamar a la línea directa de la IER para empleadores al 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); inscribirse a un seminario en línea gratuito o visualizar una presentación a la carta; enviar un correo electrónico a IER@usdoj.gov ; o visitar los sitios web de la IER en inglés y español . Inscríbase para recibir actualizaciones por correo electrónico desde IER.


title: Chicago Man Sentenced to 24 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking Children

body_text: CHICAGO — A Chicago man has been sentenced to 24 years in federal prison for recruiting four children to engage in sex acts for money. On multiple occasions in 2017, DARYL S. ARNOLD arranged for the four victims, all of whom were under 18 years old, to meet with individuals to engage in commercial sex acts in the Chicago area. Arnold used websites such as Backpage to advertise the commercial sex acts and find customers. Afterward, Arnold kept half of the proceeds. Arnold, 48, pleaded guilty in 2022 to four counts of sex trafficking of a minor. In addition to the prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Jorge L. Alonso on Friday ordered Arnold to pay $136,700 in restitution to the victims. The prison term will be followed by ten years of court-supervised release. The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The Chicago Police Department provided valuable assistance. Arnold’s arrest was part of Operation Cross Country XI , a nationwide law enforcement effort to combat underage human trafficking. “Defendant’s tactic of grooming minors is extremely dangerous because of the ease with which it can be implemented,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Mulaney argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “He ‘sold the dream’ with a false promise of independence and love.” If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by calling 1-800-843-5678 or logging on to www.cybertipline.com .