title: Manchester Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Charge

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that TIMOTHY TURMAN, also known as “Murder,” 36, of Manchester, pleaded guilty yesterday in Hartford federal court to a firearm offense. According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 9, 2022, Turman was arrested by Bloomfield Police after he was found in possession of a loaded Taurus, Millennium PT-145, .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol with an obliterated serial number. Turman’s criminal history includes state felony convictions in 2005, for possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle, and in 2006, for robbery in the first degree. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce. Turman pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny on July 2, at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. He has been detained since his arrest. This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the assistance of the Bloomfield Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda S. Oakes through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.


title: Utah Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Murder-for-Hire Scheme

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: UTICA, NEW YORK – Christopher Pence, age 43, of Cedar City, Utah, was sentenced yesterday to 84 months in prison for using the Internet to solicit and pay for the murders of two Rensselaer County residents. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement. As part of his previously entered guilty plea, Pence admitted that between July 16 and August 9, 2021, from his computer at his home in Utah, he accessed a “darknet” website dedicated to arranging contract killings. Through the website, Pence arranged for the murder of two residents of Hoosick Falls, New York, and paid a website administrator approximately $16,000 worth of Bitcoin to facilitate the murders. Pence then provided the website administrator with the names, address and photographs of the intended victims, instructed the administrator to make the murders look like an accident or botched robbery, and requested that care be taken not to harm any of the children who resided with the victims. The intended victims were not harmed and the FBI arrested Pence in Utah on October 27, 2021. He has remained in federal custody since that time. Following his arrest, Pence told investigators that he solicited the murders of the victims because of the fraught relationship between his family and the victims following Pence’s family’s adoption of several of the victims’ children. United States District Judge David N. Hurd also ordered Pence to serve a 3-year term of supervised release following his release from prison. The FBI investigated this case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet J. O’Hanlon prosecuted this case.


title: Kalamazoo Man Sentenced To More Than 19 Years For Child Pornography Offense

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: Online exploitation of three young boys GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney Mark Totten today announced that Tariq Andrew Gillam, age 34, of Kalamazoo, Michigan, was sentenced to 235 months in custody for sexually exploiting children. He will be required to serve 10 years of supervised release after serving his custodial sentence. U.S. Attorney Totten stated, “Mr. Gillam’s conduct was manipulative, and he preyed on young boys. My office and our law enforcement partners will find predators and hold them accountable. But prevention plays an important role. Candid conversations with our children to help them protect themselves in person and online is a strong first step. Equally important is giving our children a safe place to talk to their parents and other trusted adults and disclose when they have become a victim. Shame and embarrassment can become terrible weapons against victims. They need to know that they are not to blame and they are not alone.” Between January and February 2018, Gillam used Facebook to pose online as a woman named “Shay Nicole.” He used that persona to chat with numerous individuals, including three minor boys ages 10, 11, and 14. Gillam encouraged the boys to take explicit pictures of themselves and to send the pictures to him. “There’s no tolerance for individuals who use online platforms as a tool to mentally and emotionally manipulate our youngest members of society,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan . “Investigating crimes against children is one of the FBI’s greatest priorities and our office will continue rid our cities of such offenders.” This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, county prosecutor's offices, the Internet Crimes Against Children task force (ICAC), federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement are working closely together to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children. The partners in Project Safe Childhood work to educate local communities about the dangers of online child exploitation, and to teach children how to protect themselves. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit the following web site: www.projectsafechildhood.gov . Individuals with information or concerns about possible child exploitation should contact local law enforcement officials. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Mekaru and investigated by the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety and the FBI. ###


title: Fruitland Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearms Offenses

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Fruitland man pleaded guilty in federal court to federal firearms offenses for opening fire on an occupied residence, then shooting at the occupants as they exited to investigate. Nathaniel Begay , 30, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pleaded guilty to one count each of assault with a dangerous weapon and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. According to court records, on April 28, 2022, Begay , drove to a residence within the exterior boundaries of the Navajo Nation and fired upon the residence, which was occupied by three adult individuals and five children, with two handguns. After Begay shot at the residence, the occupants exited to investigate the succession of gunfire. Once they were outside the home, and while they were directly in front of him, Begay opened fire a second time, striking the residence while the occupants ran back inside. At sentencing, Begay faces between seven and 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. McGinley is prosecuting the case. View the Plea Agreement # # #


title: Erie Man Sentenced to More than Four and a Half Years in Prison for Cocaine Violations

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 57 months in prison on his conviction of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter imposed the sentence on Kechawn Jabre Douglas, 26. According to information presented to the Court, Douglas engaged in a conspiracy with others to distribute multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine within the Western District of Pennsylvania from in and around February 2022 to May 2022. Douglas admitted responsibility for conspiring to distribute seven kilograms of cocaine. Assistant United States Attorney Paul S. Sellers prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Erie Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, Oil City Police Department, Titusville Police Department, Franklin Police Department, and United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, in coordination with the United States Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service, Erie County Detectives, and Millcreek Police Department, for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Douglas. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Former El Paso Independent School District Employee Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A federal judge handed down a 30-year prison sentence to a former El Paso Independent School District employee. Last year, Jeffrey Steven Clay , 51, of Anthony, New Mexico, was convicted at trial of one count each of kidnapping and transportation for illegal sexual activity. There is no parole in the federal system. According to publicly available court records, on August 4, 2021, Jane Doe was waiting at a bus stop in El Paso, Texas when Clay offered her a ride to her friend’s house. Jane Doe accepted the ride and, in return, put $10 in the car’s center console to pay for gas. Instead of taking her to her friend’s home, Clay kidnapped Jane Doe and took her to his house in Anthony, New Mexico where he handcuffed and violently raped her. During the rape, Clay told Jane Doe that she deserved it. Afterward, Clay drove Jane Doe back to El Paso. When he stopped at a redlight, Jane Doe jumped out of the vehicle and ran inside a Circle K to ask for help. Based on Jane Doe’s Google timeline history and descriptions of Clay ’s residence, investigators from the Dona Ana County Sheriff’s Office obtained a search warrant for his residence where they found evidence supporting Jane Doe’s description of events. At the time, Clay was employed as the Executive Director of Analytics, Strategy, and Assessment and Public Education Information Management Systems for the El Paso Independent School District At trial and at sentencing, another woman testified that Clay raped her numerous times when she was minor and when she was an adult, including while she was seven months pregnant. The woman initially reported the rapes when she was a child, but recanted after Clay threatened her. Upon his release from prison, Clay will be subject to 10 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender. Clay was also ordered to pay a $5,000 fine and a $5,000 special assessment under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act. Restitution to Jane Doe will be determine at a hearing in May. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office, the El Paso Police Department, and the Third Judicial District of New Mexico District Attorney's Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Matilda McCarthy Villalobos and Ry Ellison prosecuted the case. # # #


title: Mescalero Man Sentenced for Sexual Abuse of a Minor

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A federal judge handed down a 15-year prison sentence to a Mescalero man for sexually abusing a 13-year-old child. At the time of the incident, Dexter Whiskers , 45, an enrolled member of the San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe, was employed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs as a corrections officer. There is no parole in the federal system. According to publicly available court records, in addition to the 13-year-old victim, Whiskers has been accused of physically and sexually abusing multiple women, including a minor who had been placed in foster care at his home, an inmate he was transporting for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and women with whom he was in a relationship. Upon his release from prison, Whiskers will be subject to 15 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the New Mexico State Police and the full cooperation of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorney Matilda McCarthy Villalobos is prosecuting the case.


title: Four Individuals Indicted for Firearms Violations

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

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On April 4, 2024, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging four individuals with one count for firearms violations. According to court documents, on or about October 31, 2023, Luis Nomar Isaac Sánchez, Joshua Enrique Bula Cartagena, Kevin Manuel Bonilla Ramírez, and Eli Yaniel Couvertier Pollock knowingly and unlawfully possessed and aided and abetted the possession of a machinegun, that is, a firearm modified to shoot more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger– that is a Glock 9mm, Model 19 pistol. Upon conviction of the offense as set forth in Count One of the Indictment, the defendants shall forfeit to the United States pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 924(d) and 28 U.S.C. § 2461(c), any firearm and ammunition involved in the commission of the offense, including, but not limited to: (1) two Glock Model 19, 9mm pistols (one of which was the machinegun charged in the indictment); (2) four magazines; and (3) 61 rounds of 9mm ammunition. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of ten years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico and Rebecca González-Ramos, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Juan made the announcement. HSI San Juan is in charge of the investigation of the case with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Police Bureau, the FBI San Juan Field Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys R. Vance Eaton, Laura Díaz-González, and Joseph Russell are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Former Marine Corps Reservist Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison for Stealing, Forging and Distributing Hundreds of Fraudulent COVID-19 Vaccination Cards During the Pandemic

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Jia Liu was sentenced by United States District Judge Diane Gujarati to 21 months in prison for conspiring to steal, forge and distribute fraudulent COVID-19 Vaccination Cards. On June 9, 2023, co-defendant Steven Rodriguez, a Long Island nurse, was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment for his role in the same scheme. Liu and Rodriguez pleaded guilty in April 2023 to conspiracies to defraud and obstruct the United States’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the sentence. “At the height of the COVID pandemic, Liu and Rodriguez brazenly fabricated vaccine cards and sold them for profit, thereby putting the safety of others at risk during this deadly health crisis” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This prosecution demonstrates our Office’s ongoing commitment to holding accountable those who engaged in COVID-19 fraud. These prison sentences should deter other lawbreakers who put their own interests above public health.” Mr. Peace thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office, for their outstanding investigative work on the case. According to court filings and facts presented at sentencing, in May 2021, Liu and Rodriguez conspired to steal, forge, sell and distribute COVID-19 Vaccination Cards to hundreds of unvaccinated persons. In addition to the cards, Liu and Rodriguez also offered buyers and co-conspirators false entry into government immunization databases. Liu and Rodriguez went to great lengths to evade law enforcement and conceal the scheme. Members of the scheme used code words such as “gift cards,” “Pokemon cards,” or “Cardi Bs” to refer to fraudulent COVID-19 Vaccine Cards. Liu also instructed his co-conspirators to communicate by encrypted applications and hide payment records. Liu and Rodriguez also disguised the source of mail items containing COVID-19 Vaccination Cards by omitting or using false sender names on envelopes. As Covid-19 raged and hundreds of thousands of Americans perished, Liu exploited the pandemic to enrich himself, and push his anti-vaccine agenda, messaging a co-conspirator: “f--- the vaccine”. In addition, Liu specifically targeted the armed forces and their attempts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. From approximately August 2021 or earlier, the defendant created and distributed false COVID-19 Vaccination Cards to members of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve to help them evade its vaccination requirements. Liu boasted to a co-conspirator on an encrypted messaging app: “you have no idea how many documents I have faked in my usmc (United States Marine Corps) career.” The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Amir with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Sam Ronchetti. Defendants: JIA LIU Age: 28 Queens, New York STEVEN RODRIGUEZ Age: 29 Long Beach, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No.: 22-CR-70 (DG)


title: Superseding Indictment Charges Former Non-Profit Leader with Embezzling from Two Additional Non-Profits

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On Thursday, a federal grand jury returned a 16-count superseding indictment against Richard Alan Abrusci, 45, of South Lake Tahoe, charging him with 12 counts of wire fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, and three counts of monetary transactions with proceeds of specified unlawful activity, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to the initial indictment in the case, from 2016 through 2021, Abrusci embezzled approximately $1.4 million from a non-profit organization that operates a chain of retail stores in California and Nevada. He did so while occupying leadership positions at the non-profit. The superseding indictment adds charges for two additional victim non-profits. According to the superseding indictment, during the summer of 2022, Abrusci became the president of the Sacramento chapter of a national non-profit organization that pairs children with adult mentors. From October 2022 to December 2022, Abrusci embezzled nearly $50,000 from this non-profit. In the fall of 2022, Abrusci was the chairperson of the board of directors of a non-profit organization that acts as an umbrella organization for non-profits across California that connect community members with public services. From December 2022 to January 2023, Abrusci embezzled approximately $100,000 from this non-profit. For each of the three victim non-profits, Abrusci embezzled funds in essentially the same manner. He caused the non-profits to pay Resolution Arrangement Services (RAS) for a variety of services that RAS purportedly performed. In fact, RAS provided none of these services. Instead, RAS consisted of nothing more than a fictious business name that Abrusci registered in 2008 and a bank account he opened the same year. The payments from the non-profit organizations to RAS went into this bank account, which Abrusci controlled. This case is the product of an investigation by the IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Fogg is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Abrusci faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each of the 12 counts of wire fraud. Additionally, he faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for each of the three counts of monetary transactions with proceeds of specified unlawful activity. Finally, he faces a consecutive two years in prison for the count of aggravated identity theft. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Albuquerque Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A federal judge handed down a 14-year prison sentence to an Albuquerque man who was caught with more than 19 pounds of fentanyl in a hotel room. According to publicly available court records, on October 26, 2022, officers from the Bureau of Indian Affairs intercepted a load of fentanyl destined for Albuquerque during a routine traffic stop. The driver agreed to engage in a “controlled delivery” to an individual in a Walmart parking lot in Albuquerque. Law enforcement staged around the area and observed a vehicle driven by Eric Jaramillo , 33, arrive at the designated time. Before law enforcement could immobilize the vehicle, Jaramillo drove away. Law enforcement pursued Jaramillo , who jumped out of the vehicle and fled into a water diversion tunnel. Agents from Homeland Security Investigations discovered Jaramillo had an outstanding warrant from Arizona, so they began scouring the city for him. Several weeks later, on November 14, 2022, agents located Jaramillo at a Best Western Hotel in Albuquerque. The following day, law enforcement staged around the area. When he exited his hotel room, Jaramillo attempted to flee, but was captured when he impaled his leg on a wrought iron fence. A subsequent search of his hotel room located 8.7 kilograms -- or 19.2 pounds – of fentanyl and two firearms. Jaramillo pled guilty in federal court to possession with intent to distribute 400 grams and more of fentanyl. There is no parole in the federal system. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Eric McLoughlin, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations - El Paso, made the announcement today. Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and New Mexico State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph M. Spindle prosecuted the case. # # #


title: Kingsville business owner charged with failing to pay employment taxes

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A local resident has been indicted on 16 counts for failure to pay employment taxes to the IRS, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Timothy Gaines Pollard appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Julie K. Hampton today at 10 a.m. According to the indictment, Pollard owned and operated Tim Pollard Construction, a residential remodeling and fence installation business in Kingsville and Bishop. Pollard was allegedly responsible for determining which expenses to pay and exercised control over all aspects of the business. As owner and operator, Pollard was allegedly held liable for collecting and withholding employment taxes from his employees’ paychecks. Such employment taxes allegedly include federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare taxes. It is alleged Pollard withheld these taxes from employees but failed to pay them over to the United States. The indictment further alleges Pollard diverted corporate funds to cover his personal salary and expenses. Pollard still owes more than $400,000 in employment taxes on behalf of his company’s employees, as alleged in the indictment. If convicted, Pollard faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine for each count of in the indictment. IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Marck is prosecuting the case. An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Monmouth County Man Charged with Tax Evasion, Endeavoring to Obstruct IRS Laws

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: TRENTON, N.J. – A Monmouth County, New Jersey, man was arrested today for tax evasion and endeavoring to obstruct the administration of IRS laws, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Matthew Tucci, 51, of West Long Branch, New Jersey, is charged in an indictment unsealed today with one count each of willfully attempting to evade the payment of his 2015 and 2016 taxes and corruptly endeavoring to obstruct the administration of IRS laws. He is scheduled to make his initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Tonianne J. Bongiovanni in Trenton federal court. According to the documents filed in this case: In 2015 and 2016, Tucci received millions of dollars in income from refunds issued by the Customs and Tax Administration of the Kingdom of Denmark. Tucci subsequently reported on his federal tax returns for those years that he owed over $2 million in taxes based on his receiving that income. Despite admitting that he owed those taxes, Tucci failed to fully pay his taxes when they were due. Tucci purchased more than $7.6 million worth of real estate and attempted to conceal his assets from the IRS by engaging in a series of fraudulent transactions, many of which were designed to disguise the true ownership of real estate he purchased and controlled. Tucci also made false statements to IRS revenue officers in connection with collection proceedings and failed to disclose material facts to the IRS concerning his financial resources and his ability and intent to pay his outstanding tax liabilities. The count of tax evasion carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. The count of obstructing the administration of IRS laws carries a maximum potential penalty of three years in prison and a maximum fine of $100,000. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan in Newark; and special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy, with the investigation leading to today’s arrest. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric A. Boden, Attorney-in-Charge of the Trenton Branch Office and Senior Litigation Counsel Nanette Davis and Trial Attorney Catriona M. Coppler of the Tax Division. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. tucci.indictment.pdf


title: Gang Member Sentenced to Life, plus 10 years for Retaliation Murder After Federal Trial Conviction

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – A Universal Aryan Brotherhood gang member was sentenced today for First Degree Murder in Indian Country and Carrying, Using, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced, Bennie Frank Withrow, IV, 38, of Tulsa, to life plus 120 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release. In December 2021, Dustin Tucker and his girlfriend bought methamphetamine from a drug dealer affiliated with the Universal Aryan Brotherhood (UAB) gang. After leaving the drug dealer's house, they were stopped by Tulsa Police officers. During the traffic stop, officers found methamphetamine on Dustin and a firearm in the car. While detained, Dustin told officers where he bought the drugs. The police then released Dustin and the girlfriend. Dustin’s girlfriend attempted to warn the drug dealer, but officers were already at the drug house serving a search warrant. The girlfriend then called UAB gang member Bennie Withrow and told him about what happened. Later that night, Dustin made plans to go to a casino with Withrow and a third friend. On the way, Withrow suggested they pull over to use drugs first. After they got out of the car, Withrow shot Dustin numerous times, leaving him to die in a field. Dustin’s body was found several days later in this field in Osage County. Withrow bragged to at least two people about killing Dustin. A federal jury found Withrow guilty in July 2023 for the retaliation killing of Dustin Tucker. Dustin was a citizen of the Cherokee Nation. Withrow will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The FBI, Tulsa Police Department, Osage County Sheriff’s Office, and Osage Nation Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Nasar and Dennis Fries 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. For more information about PSN, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Massachusetts Woman Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Kidnapping and Murder

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that NATASHA GARCIA, 29, formerly of Chicopee, Massachusetts, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to 132 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for offenses related to her role in the kidnapping and murder of a Massachusetts man in 2020. According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 24, 2020, Garcia lured Francisco Roman, Jr. to her Chicopee apartment knowing that Brandon Batiste and Calvin Roberson were waiting for Roman, armed with firearms, and intended to kidnap, rob, and murder him. When Roman arrived at the apartment, Batiste and Roberson confronted him, threatened to harm him if he did not comply with their orders, and handcuffed him. Garcia left the apartment, and Batiste and Roberson stole cash, marijuana, and other items from Roman. Batiste and Roberson forced Roman into the rear of Roman’s car and transported him and the stolen property to Connecticut. Batiste shot and killed Roman while the car was en route to Hartford. They then drove the car to Shultas Place in Hartford and left it parked on the street. Batiste and Roberson then drove a separate car to an apartment that Roberson shared with Shamari Smith in Waterbury, and took most of the property stolen during the robbery into the apartment. Shortly before 9 p.m. on December 26, 2020, Hartford police and fire personnel responded to Shultas Place and found Roman’s car engulfed in flames. After the fire was extinguished, investigators discovered Roman’s body with multiple gunshot wounds in the rear of the vehicle. On July 12, 2021, Garcia pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting a Hobbs Act robbery, and aiding and abetting the discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Garcia, who had been released on bond since the date of her guilty plea, was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service at the conclusion of the sentencing proceeding. Batiste and Roberson were arrested on February 11, 2021, and each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit kidnaping, and causing the death of a person through the use of a firearm. On December 20, 2023, Batiste was sentenced to 42 years of imprisonment and, on March 19, 2024, Roberson was sentenced to 29 years of imprisonment. Smith, who lied to law enforcement about what she knew about the robbery, kidnapping, and murder, and her role in the disposal of the stolen property, pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony. On October 13, 2023, she was sentenced to 25 months of imprisonment. This investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, FBI’s Springfield Gang Task Force, Massachusetts State Police, Hampden County (Mass.) District Attorney’s Office, Hartford Police Department’s Major Crimes Division, Chicopee Police Department and Springfield Police Department, with the assistance of the Waterbury Police Department and the FBI’s Atlanta Field Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Angel M. Krull and Trial Attorney Brian P. Leaming of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section.


title: Ocean County Businessman Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Failing to Pay Over $10 Million in Payroll Taxes

body_text: TRENTON, N.J. – An Ocean County man was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for failing to pay over $10 million in payroll taxes stemming from his ownership of several businesses, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Josef Neuman, 37, of Lakewood, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp to an information charging him with willful failure to pay over payroll taxes for one of his businesses in 2018. Judge Shipp imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Neuman was chief executive officer of a business in Lakewood. The company provided administrative services to operators of nursing homes and other health care facilities, including at least approximately 20 entities co-owned and operated by Neuman. As a person who controlled the companies’ financial affairs, Neuman had the responsibility to collect, truthfully account for, and pay over to the IRS the companies’ payroll taxes. During tax years 2017 and 2018, Neuman failed to pay over to the IRS over $10 million in payroll taxes owed by the companies. Neuman knew that payroll taxes were due and owing to the IRS at this time, but continued to pay other business expenses and employee salaries, instead of the unpaid taxes, while tax liabilities continued to accrue. In addition to the prison term, Judge Shipp sentenced Neuman to two years of supervised release and ordered restitution of $11.2 million. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Romano of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark.


title: Wife of Large Scale Drug Trafficker Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering Conspiracy

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A California woman pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to her role in a money laundering conspiracy involving proceeds of methamphetamine and marijuana distribution. Defendant assisted husband in laundering drug proceeds. In total, over 160 pounds of pure methamphetamine, as well as an AK-47, a Glock with no serial number, two loaded Smith & Wesson handguns, and over 4,200 rounds of ammunition were seized during the investigation. An illegal marijuana grow operation with hundreds of marijuana plants was also dismantled. Two co-defendants Reshat Alkayisi and Andre Watson recently pleaded guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced on July 11, 2024 and July 16, 2024, respectively. Christina Lua, 50, of Santa Rosa, Cali., pleaded guilty to one count of a second superseding indictment charging her with money laundering conspiracy. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for July 12, 2024. Lua was originally charged in a superseding indictment, along with four others, in September 2021 with money laundering conspiracy. The indictment charged a total of 11 defendants. In addition to the money laundering conspiracy, other defendants were charged with controlled substance and firearm offenses. In approximately October 2020, investigators received information about drug trafficking activities of a large-scale methamphetamine supplier in the Boston area. In late 2020, investigators identified Alkayisi as a large-scale methamphetamine trafficker, who distributed multi-pound quantities to customers throughout the New England area. Lua was identified as Alkayisi’s wife, who assisted Alkayisi in laundering his drug proceeds, including by purchasing vehicles with cash drug proceeds, and by depositing cash drug proceeds in amounts less than $10,000 so as to conceal the nature of the funds and to avoid reporting requirements. Lua is the ninth defendant to plead guilty. The two remaining defendants are scheduled to plead guilty. The charge of money laundering conspiracy provides for a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of the great of $500,000 or twice the amount of laundered proceeds, and a mandatory special assessment of $100. 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; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Shawn Jenkins, Interim Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Correction made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Norfolk County Sherriff’s Office; and Concord, Hudson, Peabody, Reading, Watertown and Waltham Police Departments. Assistance was also provided by the Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Maine State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alathea Porter, Katherine Ferguson, and James Arnold of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Franklin County Doctor Sentenced to Federal Prison for Health Care Fraud

component: USAO - Illinois, Southern

body_text: BENTON, Ill. – A district judge in southern Illinois sentenced a Franklin County doctor to federal prison after he admitted to billing fraudulent insurance claims for profit. Dr. Lee Peter Bee, 50, formerly of Sesser, Illinois, but now of Fenton, Missouri, was sentenced to five months imprisonment and five months home confinement after he pleaded guilty to two counts of health care fraud. Dr. Bee was also ordered to pay $195,170 in restitution. “By filing bogus insurance claims, Dr. Bee abused public trust and committed fraud for personal profit,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “His crimes earned him time in federal prison and may serve as a warning for other medical professionals considering the same.” According to court documents, Dr. Bee practiced osteopathic medicine and operated a private clinic in Sesser, Illinois. Between January 2015 and January 2020, Dr. Bee billed Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance companies for medical services he did not perform. As a result, Dr. Bee fraudulently received payments from insurers totaling at least $195,170. "Physicians and other medical professionals who submit materially false claims to Medicare and other health insurance programs for financial gain do so with a disregard for their patients and the oath they swore to uphold," said Mario M. Pinto of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. "Our agency, collaborating closely with law enforcement partners, will continue to work diligently to ensure that those who defraud our federal health care programs are held accountable." Officials with the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General led the investigation with assistance from the Illinois Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the Illinois State Police, the FBI, the Department of Labor, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of Defense and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoe J. Gross prosecuted the case.


title: Louisville Man Sentenced to Over 1 Year in Federal Prison for Bomb Hoax and Assaulting Federal Officers

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Louisville, KY – A Louisville, Kentucky, man was sentenced yesterday to 1 year and 5 months in prison for providing false information and hoaxes and for assaulting, resisting, and impeding officers and employees of the United States. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Kelly Moening of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) Louisville Field Office made the announcement. According to court documents, Cameron Hyatt, 30, was sentenced to 1 year and 5 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for one count of providing false information and hoaxes and three counts of assaulting, resisting, or impeding an officer and employee of the United States. Hyatt was also ordered to pay $11,201.70 in restitution. On April 17, 2023, Hyatt threatened to bomb an Internal Revenue Service processing facility where he previously worked as a contract employee. Additionally, on April 20, 2023, Hyatt assaulted, resisted, and impeded three TIGTA Special Agents in connection with his arrest for the conduct in which he engaged on April 17, 2023. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by TIGTA. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Elver prosecuted the case. ###


title: Former New Bedford Man Sentenced to over Three Years for Wire Fraud and Money Laundering Arising from "Romance Scam"

body_text: BOSTON – A former New Bedford man was sentenced yesterday for wire fraud and money laundering charges involving funds obtained from “romance scam” victims. Chukwunonso “Douglas” Umegbo, a/k/a James Abbott, a/k/a Michael Philips, a/k/a Richard Armani, 39, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. to 42 months in prison, followed by one year of supervised release. Umegbo was also ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture of $578,954.78. In January 2024, Umegbo pleaded guilty to six counts of making a false statement to a bank, two counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. Umegbo was arrested in London in April 2022 and extradited to the United States in February 2023. He has remained in federal custody since. Between no later than 2018 through at least 2019, Umegbo opened bank accounts in the greater Boston area using fake identity documents. The bank accounts were used to receive fraudulently obtained funds from a number of victims of romance scams, in which perpetrators create fictitious online personas to develop online romantic relationships with individuals in the U.S., and then leverage those relationships to obtain money and/or property. Once the fraudulently obtained funds reached the accounts controlled by Umegbo, Umegbo withdrew the money in cash, used the funds to purchase cashier’s checks, or spent the money. Altogether, the fraudulent accounts received more than $568,000. Even after leaving the U.S., Umegbo continued to obtain bank account information from co-conspirators in Massachusetts, to whom he directed victim funds. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance in securing the arrest and extradition from the U.K. of Umegbo. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristen A. Kearney and Leslie A. Wright of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Man charged with filing false tax returns seeking over $4M in refunds

body_text: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A local resident has been indicted on 15 counts for making a false claim and subscribing to false tax returns based on a fictitious income and withholdings, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. David Gauna appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Julie K. Hampton at 10 a.m. The indictment alleges in 2019, Gauna falsely claimed on his income tax return for estates and trusts (Form 1041) that his trust had received $620,891 in interest income, which had been withheld and paid to the government. At the time of filing, he allegedly knew the return was incorrect and untrue. The indictment further alleges in 2020, Gauna filed another Form 1041, claiming his trust was owed a tax refund of $3,346,693. Later that year, he allegedly assisted in filing 13 additional 1041 forms, requesting refunds totaling $4,960,434, all of which he knew were fraudulent. If convicted, Gauna faces up to three years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine for subscribing to a false tax return as well as up to five years in prison and a possible $250,000 fine for each of the 14 counts of making false claims against the United States. IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Marck is prosecuting the case. An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: U.S. Attorney Hurwit Announces Federal Prison Sentences for Three Southern Idaho Drug Traffickers

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: BOISE – U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced the results of three separate drug trafficking cases in Southern Idaho today. 1. Coconspirators Each Sentenced to Over 100 Months in Federal Prison for Distributing Methamphetamine. In one case, Jason Castillo, 46, of Nampa, and Cheyanne Juarez, 31, of Ontario, Oregon were each sentenced to over 100 months in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine. According to court records, on December 20, 2022, Castillo sold two and half pounds of methamphetamine to another person. On January 31, 2023, Juarez sold two pounds of methamphetamine to another person. Their co-defendant, Owenn Mitchell, 41, of Salem, Oregon, was indicted on two counts of aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine. Mitchell’s case is scheduled for trial on June 24, 2024. In a separate federal case, Castillo also pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. In January of 2023, Castillo went on a crime spree where he was found in possession of a pound of methamphetamine, approximately 63 grams of fentanyl, and three firearms. Castillo has several prior violent felonies involving domestic violence and drug trafficking offenses. He also has a prior federal felony for unlawful possession of a firearm. These priors make him prohibited from possessing firearms. On April 2, 2024, Senior U.S. District Judge Jack Zouhary, from the Northern District of Ohio, sitting by designation, sentenced Castillo to 175 months (over 14 and a half years) in federal prison, on each case to run concurrently with each other. Judge Zouhary also ordered Castillo to serve five years of supervised release after the completion of his prison sentence. On April 4, 2024, U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford sentenced Juarez to 101 months (over 8 years) in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release after the completion of her prison sentence. 2. Nampa Woman Trafficking Meth, Heroin, and Fentanyl Sentenced to 66 Months in Federal Prison. In a separate case, Mary Jo Myers, 46, of Nampa, was sentenced to five and a half years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl. Senior U.S. District Judge Jack Zouhary, from the Northern District of Ohio, sitting by designation, also ordered Myers to serve three years of supervised release following her prison sentence. According to court records, Myers was pulled over for a traffic violation on February 10, 2022. During the traffic stop, a canine trained in the detection of the odor of controlled substances, conducted an open-air sniff around the vehicle and positively alerted to the presence of the odor of a controlled substance emanating from the vehicle. Investigators searched the vehicle and found over a half pound of methamphetamine, 82 grams of heroin, approximately 150 fentanyl pills, and 12 grams of fluorfentanyl powder, a fentanyl analogue. U.S Attorney Hurwit applauded the Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes Task Force, which is led by the FBI, for the investigations in the Castillo , Juarez , and Mitchell cases. In addition to the work of the Metro Violent Crimes Task Force, U.S. Attorney Hurwit thanked the following agencies for assisting in the investigation: the DEA, the ATF, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Caldwell Police Department, the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office, the Nampa Police Department, Idaho Department of Correction, the Canyon County Prosecutor’s Office, the Malheur County Sherriff’s Office, the Ontario Police Department, the Oregon State Police, and the High Desert Drug Task Force in Oregon. U.S. Attorney Hurwit also commended Canyon County’s City-County Narcotics Unit (CCNU), which is comprised of investigators from the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office and the Caldwell Police Department, for their investigation in the Myers case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelsey Manweiler and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Nafzger are prosecuting the Castillo and Juarez cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Morse prosecuted the Myers case. An indictment is merely an allegation or a set of allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The Castillo, Juarez, and Mitchell indictments were part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. The Castillo, Juarez, and Mitchell cases were prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Treasure Valley Partnership and the State of Idaho to address gang crimes. The Treasure Valley Partnership is comprised of a group of elected officials in southwest Idaho dedicated to regional coordination, cooperation, and collaboration on creating coherent regional growth. ###


title: New Jersey Man Accused of Evading Over $2 Million in Federal Taxes

component: Tax Division

body_text: A New Jersey man was arrested today on an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Trenton, New Jersey, charging him with tax evasion and obstructing the IRS. According to the indictment, in 2015 and 2016, Matthew Tucci, of West Long Branch, received millions of dollars in income from purported refunds by the Customs and Tax Administration of the Kingdom of Denmark. Tucci allegedly filed federal tax returns for those years that reported he owed over $2 million in taxes, but included no payment with his returns. Instead, Tucci allegedly sought to evade IRS efforts to collect the taxes due. He allegedly purchased more than $7.6 million-worth of real estate and attempted to conceal his ownership of these assets from the IRS by, among other things, transferring title to some of these properties to nominees. He also allegedly made false statements to the IRS and withheld important facts from the IRS concerning his financial resources and his ability and intent to pay. If convicted, Tucci faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. 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 Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI are investigating the case. Senior Litigation Counsel Nanette Davis and Trial Attorney Catriona M. Coppler of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Boden for the District of New Jersey, Attorney in Charge of the Trenton Office, 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: Lowell Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Smuggle Drugs into Virginia Prison

body_text: BOSTON – A Lowell woman pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiracies to distribute controlled substances and to launder drug proceeds in Massachusetts and Virginia. Sathtra Em, 36, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute MDMA and buprenorphine, and two counts of money laundering conspiracy. U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for July 11, 2024. Between at least December 2019 and May 2021, Em allegedly helped codefendant Michael Mao smuggle MDMA and buprenorphine, in the form of Suboxone and generic Suboxone sublingual films, into the Buckingham Correctional Center in Dillwyn in Virginia where Mao was inarecrated. Em allegedly paid a prison guard at the facility, codefendant Kenneth Owen, $1,600 to receive the drugs in the mail and to deliver them to Mao in the prison. Em allegedly mailed at least two packages to Owen in December 2019 and January 2020 for him to smuggle into the prison for Mao. Em also allegedly mailed magazines into the prison with Suboxone sublingual films hidden in between pages glued together. Mao allegedly sold the smuggled drugs to other inmates at Buckingham Correctional Center, and Em collected the drug debts on behalf of Mao using Google Voice phone numbers to contact the inmates’ friends and families, and electronic payment applications such as Cash App and Paypal to receive the funds transfers. In a separate conspiracy, Em purchased a home in the Centralville neighborhood of Lowell in 2015. She lived there together with codefendant Sarath Yut until 2017. Yut was a regional drug trafficker and a leader of the Lowell-based gang, One Family Clique. Em and Yut agreed to deposit cash proceeds of Yut’s illegal drug trafficking activity into Em’s bank accounts to pay the mortgage for the Centralville home. Yut gave Em $1,500 cash every month to deposit into her bank account for the mortgage. Between October 2016 and January 2021, Em used at least $76,775 of drug proceeds to pay the mortgage for the Centralville home. The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute MDMA and Buprenorphine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of money laundering conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $500,000, or twice the amount of the property involved, whichever is greater. Both charges also include forfeiture of assets traceable to or involved in the distribution and laundering offenses. 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. Sarath Yut pleaded guilty to drug trafficking and money laundering offenses and was sentenced in October 2023 to 15 years in prison. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Special assistance was provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations and the Virginia Department of Corrections. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred M. Wyshak, III of the Organized Crime and Gang Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Amhrein of the Asset Forfeiture Unit, are prosecuting the case. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Framingham Man Sentenced to Prison for Operating an Unlicensed Money Transmitting Business

body_text: BOSTON – A Framingham man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. Luiz DaSilva, 69, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 18 months in prison and two years of supervised release. On Nov. 27, 2023, the defendant pleaded guilty to operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business. DaSilva was arrested on Dec. 15, 2022 for operating an unlicensed money transmitting business out of Framingham. Under federal law, entities who transfer funds on behalf of the public, are required to register with the Department of Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network within 180 days of commencing services. Registration is required to protect against United States financial institutions being used for money laundering and other illicit activities. DaSilva never registered his business with FinCEN. However, between at least 2018 and 2020, DaSilva regularly accepted cash from numerous parties that he transferred to Florida-based bank accounts without registration with FinCEN. These transactions amounted to approximately $4.9 million dollars in a two-year period. The defendant structured his cash transactions to avoid any one transaction being more than $10,000, which requires reporting by the financial institution of the transaction to the federal government. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Framingham Police Chief Lester Baker made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.


title: United States Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Marshals Service Warn the Public of Jury Duty Scam

component: USAO - Alabama, Middle

body_text: Montgomery, Alabama – Acting United States Attorney Jonathan S. Ross and United States Marshal Jesse Seroyer, Jr., warn the public of scams involving supposed federal jury duty. These scams typically involve a caller posing as a United States Marshal’s Service representative. The caller informs the victim that he or she is about to be arrested for failing to appear for federal jury duty. The perpetrator then instructs the victim that he or she can avoid arrest by paying a “fine” in accordance with specific instructions. To make the scam believable, the scammer may provide convincing information, including personal details about the victim (e.g., name, address, date of birth, etc.), the title and badge number of a law enforcement officer or court official, the name of a federal judge, or the courthouse address. Scammers are even using technology to mask their phone numbers and make it appear as if the call is coming from the court or a government agency. This tactic is called “spoofing” and has become very common with scammers nationwide. In some cases, the scammer may carry the scheme out via email using an official-looking email address. The Middle District of Alabama has recently seen an increase in reports of these phone calls. The United States Attorney’s Office and the United States Marshals Service hope to raise awareness and, as a result, prevent more people from being victimized by the scam. If you receive a jury duty related call or email, do not provide any personal information or send money. Federal courts do not call or email prospective jurors to ask for money or personal information and they never serve an arrest warrant by phone. Real, valid arrest warrants are always served in person. The court also does not demand the payment of money in lieu of arrest, nor does it accept payment via gift cards, pre-paid cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency deposits. Anyone who receives a “jury duty scam” phone call or email should report it right away to the Federal Trade Commission at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/ , the U.S. Marshals Service at (334) 922-6960, or your local FBI Field Office . If available, please have the caller ID or email address information of the scammer when you call. You can authenticate a call by contacting the Clerk’s Office of the United States District Court in your area and verify the information given by the caller. Contact information for the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama can be found at www.almd.uscourts.gov/ .


title: Sikeston Man with Over 12 Felony Convictions Sentenced to Serve 200 Months in Prison for Gun Crime

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark on Friday sentenced a Sikeston, Missouri man with over a dozen criminal convictions who was caught with a firearm to 200 months in prison. Milton Napoleon Porter, 41, pleaded guilty in November to the offense of being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm and admitted knowing that he was prohibited from possessing a gun because of his status as a convicted felon. According to court documents, officers with the Sikeston Department of Public Safety were dispatched to a reported vehicle break-in on East Kathleen Street last July. Porter was located at the scene. When he saw the officers, Porter jumped over a fence and ran away. During a foot pursuit, Porter tossed a loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol on the ground. He was apprehended moments later. A criminal background check revealed Porter had 13 felony convictions, including multiple convictions for domestic assault. After serving his sentence, Porter will be placed on supervised release for a period of five years. This case was investigated by the Sikeston Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Koester handled the prosecution for the government. 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: United States Attorney’s Office and Atlanta Field Office IRS Criminal Investigation Warn the Public of Unlawful Tax Return Preparers

body_text: Montgomery, Alabama – As the April 15 th federal tax filing deadline approaches, Acting United States Attorney Jonathan S. Ross for the Middle District of Alabama, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman with the IRS Criminal Investigation Atlanta Field Office, urge taxpayers to be cautious when choosing return preparers and to review their returns thoroughly. An unscrupulous preparer who includes errors or false information on a tax return could leave a taxpayer open to liability for unpaid taxes, penalties, and interest. “Tax time can be very stressful,” said Acting United States Attorney Ross. “Rushing to beat the deadline can result in overlooked mistakes and the filing of a false return to the IRS. Always inspect your returns before they are filed. If your tax preparer asks you to sign a blank return, refuses to sign your return as your preparer, or fails to give you a copy of your return, extra caution may be warranted. Taxpayers are responsible for the information on their tax returns, so it is important to choose a tax professional that you trust to prepare your returns correctly.” “As we come to the end of this year’s tax season, I want to urge taxpayers to not let the deadline lead them to being less careful in choosing a reputable tax preparer,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Hardeman. “For those who have already filed, it doesn’t hurt to review your tax information to ensure the information is correct.” Over the years, the United States Attorney’s Office has worked with the IRS to bring criminal actions against dishonest tax preparers operating in the Middle District. The message of each prosecution is clear — those who prepare fraudulent returns will face serious and lasting consequences. In the most recent example, on February 2, 2024, a federal judge sentenced 44-year-old April Michelle Nesbitt to 33 months in prison for including false information on a client’s return causing the taxpayer to receive greater refunds than he or she was entitled to receive. The judge also ordered Nesbitt to pay restitution in the amount of $46,669 to the IRS. Acting United States Attorney Ross and Acting Special Agent in Charge Hardeman remind taxpayers that the IRS has information, tips and reminders on its site for choosing a tax preparer carefully ( Choosing a Tax Professional and How to Choose a Tax Return Preparer ) and has launched a free directory of credentialed federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers taxpayers tips to protect their identities and wallets when filing their taxes. In addition, IRS Free File , a public-private partnership, offers free online tax preparation and filing options on IRS partner websites for individuals whose adjusted gross income is under $79,000. For individuals whose income is over that threshold, IRS Free File offers electronic federal tax forms that can be filled out and filed online for free. The IRS has tips on how seniors and individuals with low to moderate income can get other help or guidance on tax return preparation, too.


title: Two Tuscaloosa Men Plead Guilty to COVID-19 Program Fraud

component: USAO - Alabama, Northern

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal judge sentenced two Tuscaloosa men this week for defrauding the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis. These cases are the part of a collaboration between the U.S. Secret Service and local partners to identify and focus enforcement on individuals who defrauded the systems meant to provide relief during the pandemic. The joint effort also addresses violent crime by employing, where appropriate, federal laws to prosecute violent offenders in the Northern District of Alabama. U.S. District Court Judge L. Scott Coogler presided over the two unrelated cases. Kenzarian Lemark Harris , age 38, was sentenced to 36 months in prison for PPP fraud. Harris pleaded guilty in November 2023 to wire fraud. According to the plea agreement, in February 2021 Harris submitted false and fraudulent PPP loan applications and received a PPP loan totaling more than $20,833. Harris’ loan application included fraudulent tax and bank records and several misrepresentations – including that his business was in operation, that the business had employees for whom it paid salaries, that the PPP funds would be used to retain workers, and that the information provided in the loan applications was true and accurate. The court separately sentenced Reginald Dewayne Rhodes, Jr. , age 26, to 18 months in prison for PPP loan fraud. Rhodes pleaded guilty in October 2023 to wire fraud. According to the plea agreement, between April and June 2021, Rhodes applied for and received a fraudulent PPP loan in the amount of $11,770. Rhodes claimed to own and operate a carpet cleaning business that did not exist, and his application included fraudulent tax and bank records. In addition to their prison sentences, the court ordered both Harris and Rhodes to pay restitution to the U.S. Small Business Administration in the full amount of the PPP loans, plus interest. The U.S. Secret Service investigated the cases, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan “Jack” Harrington prosecuted. Throughout the country, federal, state, and local law enforcement are on high alert to investigate reports of individuals and businesses engaging in a wide range of fraudulent and criminal behavior. For more information about these scams visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: Convicted Child Rapist Sentenced to 110 Months in String of Armed Robberies of Commercial Business in Washington D.C.

body_text: WASHINGTON – Michael Daniels, 37, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today to 110 months in prison for a series of six armed robberies that struck a dry cleaner, a vape shop, a liquor store, and mobile phone stores in the District during early 2022. The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Daniels pleaded guilty on December 12, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras to a charge of interference with interstate commerce by robbery (also known as a Hobbs Act robbery) In addition to the 110 month prison term, Judge Contreras ordered Daniels to serve three years of supervised release and pay restitution of $1,539. According to court documents, Daniels targeted a variety of commercial businesses between January 28, 2022, and February 13, 2022. Disguised in a mask, Daniels robbed the following businesses at gunpoint: January 28, 2022, Capitol Hill Cleaning Emporium, 1100 block of E. Capitol Street, SE January 30, 2022, Serv U Liquors, 1900 block of 9th St., NW January 31, 2022, Boost Mobile, 1700 block of Columbia Rd., NW February 7, 2022, Simple Mobile, 3100 block of Mt. Pleasant St., NW February 10, 2022, Havana Tobacco and Vape, 600 block Pennsylvania Ave., SE February 13, 2022, Boost Mobile, 3720 Georgia Ave., NW Daniels was arrested April 4, 2023, in Washington D.C. His prior convictions include multiple robberies, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a BB gun, an assault while he was incarcerated, and most recently, the second-degree rape of a 12-year-old girl in Maryland for which he is currently serving an 18-year sentence. This case was investigated by the MPD and the ATF. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nihar Mohanty and Madhu Chugh. 22cr253


title: Inland Empire Man Indicted for Allegedly Distributing Fentanyl to Two Victims Who Suffered Fatal Overdoses Over a Two-Week Span

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: RIVERSIDE, California – A Riverside County man was taken into federal custody today on a grand jury indictment alleging he distributed fentanyl to two victims – one of whom was under 21 years of age – who suffered fatal overdoses within a two week-span, the Justice Department announced today. Edward Hernandez, 24, of Menifee, was charged in a two-count indictment returned on March 13. Hernandez is charged with one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and one count of distribution of fentanyl to a person under the age of 21 resulting in death. His arraignment is scheduled for this afternoon in United States District Court in Riverside. According to the indictment, on April 10, 2020, Hernandez knowingly and intentionally distributed fentanyl to a victim, identified in court documents as “R.R.” The victim later ingested the powerful synthetic opioid – estimated to be 50 times more powerful than heroin – and suffered a fatal overdose the following day. On April 21, 2020, Hernandez allegedly knowingly and intentionally distributed fentanyl to a second victim, identified in the indictment as “T.G.,” a person under the age of 21 years. Two days later, T.G. died from a fentanyl overdose. An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Hernandez initially was charged in state court by the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, which will seek to dismiss its case in light of the federal charges. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department’s Overdose Death Investigations and Narcotics Unit, along with the Drug Enforcement Administration, are investigating this matter. Special Assistant United States Attorney Stephen T. Merrill of the Riverside Branch Office is prosecuting this case.


title: St. Clair County Tax Preparer Accused of Fraud and False Statements on Tax Returns

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A woman who currently operates a business in southern Illinois preparing tax returns is facing federal charges for allegedly making intentional false statements on her personal income tax returns. A federal grand jury charged Dormeshia A. Haire, 36, of St. Charles, Missouri, with three counts of making false statements on her personal income tax returns. “Tax preparers must work ethically and abide by federal law, or face consequences from the IRS for intentionally making false statements, committing fraud and ultimately causing the Government to lose significant tax dollars,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. For employment, Haire collected fees from her clients for filing tax returns and selling identity theft monitoring services at her business in St. Clair County. According to court documents, Haire’s accusations stem from her personal 2019 tax return statement, in which she did not report any gross receipts associated with her employment. The Government estimated her actual gross receipts to be more than $43,000 in 2019. “IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) continues to make it a top priority to track down return preparers who have demonstrated they cannot be trusted,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas F. Murdock, St. Louis Field Office. “We take violations of U.S. tax laws very seriously as evidenced by this indictment.” In her personal 2020 tax return statement, Haire is accused in count two of the indictment of underreporting her gross receipts. Haire reported $23,834, but the Government alleged her gross receipts to be an estimated $192,200. Count three of the indictment alleges fraud on Haire’s 2021 tax return statement. She reported gross receipts of $50,323, but the Government estimated her gross receipts to be $323,396. An indictment is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury. False statement convictions are punishable by up to three years’ imprisonment and fines up to $100,000 per count. IRS Criminal Investigation is leading the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Howard is prosecuting the case.


title: Sarasota Woman Pleads Guilty To Making A False Statement In A Tax Return

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Olga Dedovets has pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement in a tax return. Dedovets faces a maximum penalty of three years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to the plea agreement, Dedovets co-owned and helped to operate a roofing business based in the Middle District of Florida. In November 2018, Dedovets willfully made a false statement in her Individual Income Tax Return Form 1040 for tax year 2017, then signed it, and caused that return to be filed with the Internal Revenue Service. The false statement in that tax return related to income that she and the other owner of the roofing business had earned from that business in 2017. Dedovets failed to report to her tax preparer more than $1 million in income on that 2017 Form 1040, which was income derived from roofing work. Most of that income was concealed in bank accounts which Dedovets did not report to the tax preparer. This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.


title: Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Cyberstalking Victims in Multiple States Using Social Media Apps

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: EL PASO, Texas – An Odessa man pleaded guilty in a federal court in El Paso to three counts of cyberstalking. Investigating agencies are seeking help from anyone who may have been victimized by Hugo Iram Cardona Jr., 21. According to court documents, Cardona used a two-factor authentication (2FA) scheme to gain access to various young females’ Snapchat accounts to steal their intimate photographs and videos. Cardona then contacted the females using numerous social media accounts on interactive computer services, such as Instagram and Snapchat, and demanded that they “apologize,” or he would publicly release the content. In most cases, Cardona would also demand his victims video chat with him while engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) revealed at least 15 victims located in El Paso, Colorado and Arizona. The investigation determined the victims were initially contacted by Cardona from Instagram accounts “idkprii85,” “designoiram,” “juniorrriram,” “urfavpapi,” “urdvddyjunie” and “juniorrhernandez” as well as Snapchat accounts “juniepri,” “asap_juniorrr” and “juniorrriram.” Victims were also contacted from multiple TextNow numbers. The Instagram accounts, Snapchat accounts and TextNow numbers were all determined to be registered to Cardona. Cardona’s offenses occurred from on or about Aug. 15, 2020 through on or about June 1, 2023. If you have had or know anyone who has had contact with Cardona Jr. or any of the above-listed usernames while using Snapchat, Instagram or TextNow between 2020 and 2023, please complete this victim questionnaire . The FBI/HSI are legally mandated to identify victims of crime in federal investigations. Victims may be eligible for certain services, restitution, and other rights under federal and/or state law. Your responses are voluntary but may be useful in the federal investigation and to identify you as a potential victim. Based on the responses provided, you may be contacted by the FBI and asked to provide additional information. Victim identities are private, and case-related information is confidential. Cardona is scheduled to be sentenced on June 3 and faces up to 10 years in prison for each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas, Special Agent in Charge John Morales for the FBI El Paso Field Office and Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric McLoughlin for the HSI El Paso Division made the announcement. The FBI, HSI, El Paso Police Department are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shane Romero and Nallely Barbosa are prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. ###


title: Business owners charged with money laundering and operating a money transmitting business without a license

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – On April 4, two business owners were charged in a criminal complaint with conspiracy to commit money laundering and operating a money transmitting business without a license. As set forth in the criminal complaint, Maryna Petushkova (Maryna), 39, and Oleksii Petushkov (Oleksii) 40, both of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, owned Trident Trade Corp. (Trident) in North Miami, Florida. As alleged in the criminal complaint, Trident was a front for an illegal money transmitting business that exchanged illegally obtained gift cards for cash and some of the cash was allegedly obtained from purported drug proceeds. From November 2023 through January 2024, Maryna and Oleksii allegedly laundered $250,000 they believed were drug proceeds. The allegations in the criminal complaint state that from July 2023 through Jan. 8, 2024, Maryna and Oleksii, or an associate, redeemed gift cards believed to be stolen or otherwise fraudulently obtained. The complaint further alleges, from 2021 through 2023 companies operated and controlled by Maryna and Oleksii allegedly redeemed a total of approximately $5,000,000 in gift cards and money orders and failed to obtain the required federal or state license to operate as a money transmitting business. Maryna and Oleksii made their initial appearance in Fort Lauderdale on April 4. A detention hearing is scheduled for April 9 in Fort Lauderdale. Maryna and Oleksii face up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction related to the conspiracy to commit money laundering charge and face up to five years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000 for the operating a money transmitting business without a license charge. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri, of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement. FBI Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Schwartz and Jeffrey N. Kaplan are prosecuting it. A criminal complaint contains mere allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 24-mj-06146. ###


title: Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion

body_text: A federal district court accepted a Texas man’s guilty plea today to evading taxes on income he earned from his business. According to court documents, John L. Petrone owned and operated a business that sold an herbal extract known as “kratom,” along with other related products. Petrone did not file individual income tax returns for 2014 through 2019, nor did he pay income taxes for those years, despite earning hundreds of thousands of dollars from his business. During that time, Petrone attempted to evade his income taxes by opting not to withhold federal taxes from his paychecks, operating the business under different names, dealing in cash, using business bank accounts to pay for personal expenses and lying to the IRS during an audit. In addition, Petrone did not pay his business’s employment taxes. Through his actions, Petrone caused a tax loss to the IRS of over $529,000. Petrone is scheduled to be sentenced on June 14. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. 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 made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Assistant Chief David Zisserson and Trial Attorney Andres Chinchilla of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case, with assistance and support from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas.


title: Multi Convicted Serial Thief Sentenced to Federal Prison for Crime Spree

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Brett Matthew Chamberlain, 41, for seven counts of Bank Fraud, five counts of Aggravated Identity Theft, two counts of Theft in Indian Country, being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence in Indian Country. Chamberlain was sentenced to 240 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release. Judge Russell further ordered Chamberlain to pay $10,142.20 in restitution. According to court documents, between August 2022 through December 2022, Chamberlain broke into more than 30 vehicles and stole items of value. He would make unauthorized purchases using the vehicle owners’ property, such as credit cards, bank cards, bank checks, and personal identification. Using the victims’ funds and personal identifying information, Chamberlain went on shopping sprees at Home Depot and Target, refueled his vehicle, and reloaded minutes on his prepaid cellphone. Several victims had property stolen valued at more than $1,000, including one firearm. In December 2022, the Tulsa Police Department pulled over a vehicle flagged in the Flock camera system as a suspect vehicle in multiple burglaries. Chamberlain was driving the vehicle and a stolen firearm was found inside. Chamberlain was not allowed to possess a firearm after being convicted of more than 22 felonies in Oklahoma. Additionally, Chamberlain further admitted to firing at least two shots in the direction of a victim while they were inside their car. He is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Anderson 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. For more information about PSN, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Latrobe Resident Sentenced for Narcotics Convictions

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Latrobe, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court on April 4, 2024, to 12 months and one day of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on his convictions for violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. United States Senior District Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence on Richard Bakey, 30. According to information presented to the Court, on August 1, 2020, Drug Enforcement Administration agents purchased 100 Xanax bars from Bakey in exchange for $275. Months later, on May 24, 2021, Pennsylvania State Police troopers stopped a vehicle driven by Bakey, and seized multiple envelopes containing various types of pills, including 119 fentanyl pills. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan D. Lusty prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the United States Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Bakey.


title: Canadian Man Sentenced for Cross-Country Crime Spree

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Friday sentenced a Canadian man who used sleight-of-hand and other ruses to steal $109,000 from retailers in at least 11 states to 15 months in prison. Judge Pitlyk also ordered Mohsen Akbari, 38, to repay the money. About $75,000 has already been seized from Akbari’s accounts. During a nearly six-month crime spree, Akbari targeted retailers in Missouri, Illinois and at least 11 other states. After making a small purchase, Akbari tricked store employees into handing over cash. He sometimes claimed that he and his family collected $100 bills and would ask the cashier if he could examine the bills in the register. Akbari would then surreptitiously place some of the bills into his sleeve or pocket. Locally, Akbari stole a total of $2,420 from a Walmart in St. Peters, Missouri on June 12, 2023, $6,900 from a Granite City, Illinois store on June 13, $420 from an O’Fallon, Missouri store on June 14 and $900 from a store in Warrenton, Missouri the same day. He stole $580 from a Walmart in Eureka, Missouri and $5,100 from an Arnold, Missouri Walmart on June 15. Akbari admitted stealing a total of $109,452. Homeland Security Investigations, the Eureka Police Department and the Arnold Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman prosecuted the case.


title: Possession of Machine Guns Results in Federal Prison Sentences for Two Men

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

body_text: SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced the sentencing of two men for illegally possessing machine guns. Tedric Deshun Ratcliff , 30, of Shreveport, and Elijah D. Brown , 24 , of Fort Worth, Texas, have been sentenced by United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. Tedric Deshun Ratcliff was sentenced to 57 months in prison and Elijah D. Brown was sentenced to 42 months in prison. Both defendants will serve 3 years of supervised release following their release from prison. The sentence imposed by Judge Hicks for Brown was an upward departure from the proposed 18-24 month guideline range based on the United States Sentencing Commission’s guidelines. According to information presented in court, on September 23, 2022, officers with the Shreveport Police Department responded to an armed persons call at the Peach Street Apartments in Shreveport. Upon arrival, officers observed an individual carrying an AR-style rifle get into the rear driver’s side of a vehicle in the parking lot of the apartment complex. The officers made contact with the armed passenger and asked him to step out of the vehicle and observed the AR-style rifle on the floorboard. Officers then ordered the driver, later determined to be Ratcliff, out of the vehicle. A search of the vehicle was conducted, and officers found three firearms, a Glock .40 caliber pistol with an extended magazine, a Glock 9mm pistol with extended magazine, and the Palmetto Arms 7.62 AR rifle which had previously been seen by officers. Through their investigation, officers learned that two of the firearms had been reported as stolen. The Palmetto Arms AR rifle was found to have a drop-in auto sear, a conversion device, inserted inside of it and was determined to be registered to Brown. In addition, officers located a small backpack containing prescribed medication and identification for Brown. Under the backpack was a tan Glock 19 9mm pistol with a Glock switch, a conversion device, installed. The firearm was registered to Brown. Law enforcement agents retrieved photos from Brown’s phone of him holding the tan Glock firearm with the switch installed. A records search of the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (NFRTR) showed that the Glock switches were not registered, and Brown had no other registrations. Brown was charged with possession of a machine gun and possession of a firearm not registered to him in NFRTR. Ratcliff was charged with unlawful possession of a machine gun. “These sentences imposed by the court should send a strong message to those in our community that individuals who possess these illegal machine guns will get stiff sentences,” said U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown. “Together with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners, we will continue to weed out these bad seeds in our communities.” The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Shreveport Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Aaron Crawford. 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn . # # #


title: Informational: Federal Court arraignments

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt: Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on April 4 was: Shacheen Leigh Russell, 35, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Russell faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Russell was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-44. Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on April 2 was: Kyle Allen Mostad, 39, of Townsend, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. If convicted of the most serious crime, Mostad faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Mostad was released pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Montana Probation and Parole conducted the investigation. P ACER case reference. 24-6. The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html . To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl . XXX


title: Joint Operation Targets Las Cruces Based Drug Trafficking Organization

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – This week, agents from the FBI and the Las Cruces/Dona Ana County Metro Narcotics Agency executed search warrants at the Imperial Sky Motel on West Picacho Avenue and other locations throughout Las Cruces as part of an ongoing operation targeting a Las Cruces based drug trafficking organization. During the operation, agents seized fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and multiple stolen firearms. The federal search warrants were conducted in conjunction with four other New Mexico state search warrants executed by the Dona Ana County Sheriff’s Office, Las Cruces Police Department, and New Mexico State Police at the Coachlight Motel Inn & RV on Motel Boulevard in Las Cruces. As a result of the operations, five people were arrested on state charges and one person was arrested on federal charges. The search warrants were conducted as a follow-on operation after a similar joint operation occurred at motels located on West Picacho Avenue in March 2024. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, and Chief Jeremy Story of the Las Cruces Police Department, announced the results of a coordinated enforcement operation in Las Cruces today. The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case in collaboration with the Las Cruces Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Armijo is assisting with the investigation. # # #