title: Waterloo Man Sentenced to Over 15 Years in Federal Prison for His Role in Ice Methamphetamine Ring

body_text: A man who was caught with over 380 grams of ice methamphetamine and over $25,000 in drug money was sentenced November 2, 2023, to more than 15 years in federal prison. Timothy Michael Webber, age 46, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 2, 2023 guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Evidence at a prior hearing showed that Webber was intercepted over the wiretap ordering pounds of methamphetamine from the David Belton drug organization in Cedar Rapids. In his plea agreement, Webber admitted that in April 2022, state investigators searched his residence in Waterloo and seized over 380 grams of ice methamphetamine and $25,550 in cash proceeds of prior ice methamphetamine sales. Webber ran from officers who executed the search at the residence but was caught. Eleven other individuals were charged in the same investigation, ten of whom have been sentenced: Kiyonte Levell Sowell was sentenced to 144 months’ imprisonment; Albert Henry Bailey was sentenced to 88 months’ imprisonment; Jesus Vera was sentenced to 151 months’ imprisonment; Calub Joseph Storlie was sentenced to 200 months’ imprisonment; Christopher Eric Curley was sentenced to 175 months’ imprisonment; David Poitier Belton was sentenced to 396 months’ imprisonment; Derek Michael Mims was sentenced to 360 months’ imprisonment; Phillip Lanell Rogers was sentenced to 135 months’ imprisonment; Anton Tarrice Whitney, Jr. was sentenced to 216 months’ imprisonment; Elmer Mims was sentenced to 235 months’ imprisonment. Webber was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Webber was sentenced to 188 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Webber is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the DEA Task Force in Cedar Rapids and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The DEA Task Force in Cedar Rapids consists of the DEA; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 22‑CR‑39‑CJW‑MAR.


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Announces Participation in Justice Department's Nationwide Election Day Program

component: USAO - Tennessee, Eastern

body_text: KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The United States Attorney’s Office announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Mac Heavener will lead the efforts of the Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 7, 2023, general election. AUSA Heavener has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Eastern District of Tennessee, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the Office’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington. The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations. Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English). In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA Heavener will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone numbers: (423) 823-5009 or (423) 218-6652. In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at (865) 544-0751. Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ . “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate,” stated United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III. “It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.” Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency. ###


title: Lawrence Men Sentenced for Distributing Fentanyl at Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Bedford

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – Two Lawrence men have been sentenced in federal court in Boston for conspiring to distribute fentanyl to individuals at the Bedford Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Deiby Bladimil Casado Ruiz, 30, was sentenced on Nov. 1, 2023 by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 24 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Pedro Antonio Sanchez Bernabel, 31, was sentenced on Nov. 6, 2023 by Judge Talwani to 14 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On July 21, 2023, both Casado Ruiz and Bernabel pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and one count of distribution of fentanyl. Between July 27, 2022 and November 2022, Bernabel and Casado Ruiz conspired to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl. Specifically, the defendants sold fentanyl to individuals at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Bedford, including one veteran who was seeking treatment at the Medical Center for a substance use disorder. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the VA Office of Inspector General’s Northeast Field; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Bedford VA Medical Center Police Service and the Lawrence Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick Callahan, Lauren Graber and Kelly Lawrence of the Health Care Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Foreign National Pleads Guilty to Role in Immigration Fraud and Money Laundering Scheme

component: Criminal - Human Rights and Special Prosecution Section

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Israeli national pleaded guilty today to his role in a conspiracy to launder money and facilitate the illegal entry, harboring, and transporting of noncitizens in the United States for the purpose of their employment. According to court documents, Shai Cohen, 39, admitted to organizing and working with others to recruit and facilitate the illegal entry of Israeli citizens into the United States under false pretenses. From approximately 2011 through December 2013, Cohen and his co-conspirators assisted noncitizens in fraudulently obtaining B-1/B-2 tourist/visitor visas by misrepresenting the true purpose of their travel to the United States, which was illegal employment. Cohen and his co-conspirators then assisted the noncitizens in traveling to the United States. Upon arrival, the noncitizens were employed at various kiosks owned and operated by Cohen and his co-conspirators in malls in Virginia and Maryland, despite entering the United States in a visa status that did not allow them to work. The noncitizens who engaged in illegal employment were primarily compensated for their work by under-the-table cash payments or the transfer of money to stored value payment cards, rather than through a legitimate payroll system. Cohen also provided for the noncitizens housing and transportation to and from work in the United States. Cohen and his co-conspirators also made foreign and domestic financial transactions in furtherance of and to promote the criminal scheme. Cohen pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, and one count of conspiracy to launder money, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on January 19, 2024. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Cohen was arrested in Israel pursuant to a U.S. request for his extradition. In August, he was extradited to the Eastern District of Virginia. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Nicole M. Argentieri, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington Field Office; and Troy W. Springer, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), National Capitol Region, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raizza K. Ty and Trial Attorney Clayton O’Connor of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing Cohen’s arrest and extradition from Israel. The Justice Department thanks the government of Israel for making the arrest and extradition of Cohen possible. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:16-cr-114.


component: Criminal Division

body_text: An Israeli national pleaded guilty today to his role in a conspiracy to launder money and facilitate the illegal entry, harboring, and transporting of noncitizens in the United States for the purpose of their employment. According to court documents, Shai Cohen, 39, admitted to organizing and working with others to recruit and facilitate the illegal entry of Israeli citizens into the United States under false pretenses. From approximately 2011 through December 2013, Cohen and his co-conspirators assisted noncitizens in fraudulently obtaining B-1/B-2 tourist/visitor visas by misrepresenting the true purpose of their travel to the United States, which was illegal employment. Cohen and his co-conspirators then assisted the noncitizens in traveling to the United States. Upon arrival, the noncitizens were employed at various kiosks owned and operated by Cohen and his co-conspirators in malls in Virginia and Maryland, despite entering the United States in a visa status that did not allow them to work. The noncitizens who engaged in illegal employment were primarily compensated for their work by under-the-table cash payments or the transfer of money to stored value payment cards, rather than through a legitimate payroll system. Cohen also provided housing and transportation for the noncitizens to and from work in the United States. Cohen and his co-conspirators also used foreign and domestic bank accounts for financial transactions to pay for leased office space, apartments, airline tickets, vehicles, and other business costs in furtherance of and to promote the criminal scheme. Cohen was arrested in Israel pursuant to a U.S. request for his extradition. In August, he was extradited to the Eastern District of Virginia. Cohen pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, and one count of conspiracy to launder money, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 19, 2024. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia, Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, and Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), National Capital Region made the announcement. HSI Washington and DOL-OIG are investigating the case. Trial Attorney Clayton O’Connor of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Raizza K. Ty for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing Cohen’s arrest and extradition from Israel. The Justice Department thanks the government of Israel for making the arrest and extradition of Cohen possible.


title: Nurse Impostor Pleads Guilty To Identity Theft And Making False Medical Records

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: Leticia Gallarzo used the identity of a real nurse to obtain employment as a licensed registered nurse, faces up to 7 years in prison GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Leticia Gallarzo, 49, of Allegan County, pleaded guilty to using the identity of another person to obtain employment as a licensed registered nurse and to making false statements relating to health care matters. “The allegations that Ms. Gallarzo faked being a licensed nurse and created false medical records are extremely alarming,” said U.S. Attorney Totten . “By allegedly posing as a certified medical professional, she risked patient care and put unsuspecting individuals in harm’s way. My office takes this threat to public safety very seriously and appreciates the work of our law enforcement partners in this investigation.” Gallarzo pleaded guilty to two federal crimes: making a false statement in a medical record affecting a health care benefit program and aggravated identity theft. The health care fraud charge is punishable by up to five years in prison. The aggravated identity theft charge carries a mandatory two years in prison, which must be served consecutively (after) any prison sentence imposed for the health care fraud charge The Court has not yet scheduled Gallarzo’s sentencing date. According to court documents, Gallarzo falsely represented that she was a licensed registered nurse and had completed a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from Davenport University when applying for a job at a local nursing facility. When transmitting her application to the prospective employer over the internet through Indeed.com , Gallarzo used the means of identification of someone that she knew to be an actual licensed registered nurse in the state of Michigan. After obtaining employment as a nurse, Gallarzo evaluated and assessed elderly nursing home patients and falsely signed electronic medical records as a licensed registered nurse. These false statements were related to Medicare, a health care benefit program, because the nursing home relied on Gallarzo’s status as a licensed registered nurse to meet certain Medicare regulations for participation in and billing of Medicare. "The FBI is dedicated to ensuring that cases of identity theft, such as this one, are thoroughly investigated and the public can trust qualified medical providers," stated Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan . "The scale of Ms. Gallarzo's alleged fraud, which endangered innocent patients, is staggering. As law enforcement works together to combat fraud in our healthcare system, I would like to especially thank the Michigan State Police for their assistance in this investigation." “Today’s guilty plea underscores the significance and severity of the defendant’s conduct, particularly as it relates to her involvement in the submission of false documentation related to her purported nursing training and state licensure, as well as further false statements connected to her employment as a nurse in a skilled nursing facility,” said Mario M. Pinto, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) . “HHS-OIG is committed to working together with our law enforcement partners to protect beneficiaries of our federal health care programs.” The Federal Bureau of Investigation Grand Rapids Field Office and U.S. Health and Human Service Office of Inspector General are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ron Stella is prosecuting the case. ###


title: U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit to Co-Sponsor “United Against Hate” Summit in Sandpoint

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: COEUR D’ALENE – U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit along with the Bonner County Human Rights Task Force, the Boundary County Human Rights Task Force, the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho, DOJ Community Relations Service, and the FBI, are convening a United Against Hate summit on November 14 at The Heartwood Center in Sandpoint. The event is free and is open to the public. United Against Hate is an initiative launched by the Department of Justice focused on improving efforts to combat hate crimes and hate incidents through relationship building at the local level. Through this endeavor, the U.S. Attorney’s Office seeks to create and strengthen trust and partnerships among law enforcement, community leaders, and residents. Well‑attended summits have already been held in Coeur d’Alene, Caldwell, Boise, Ketchum, and Pocatello. “In my view, this initiative is particularly timely for Idaho, as we have experienced a series of troubling hate incidents throughout the state in the past several years,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “As Attorney General Garland has said, this is a moment for an all-hands-on-deck approach to combatting unlawful hate.” The November 14 event will include remarks from local leaders, presentations from prosecutors about hate crimes laws and reporting mechanisms, and speakers who will share their courageous experiences responding to hate. “I look forward to meeting community members and hearing different perspectives on how we can work together to unite our community in standing up to unlawful hate,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “And I am deeply honored to partner with our co-sponsors to prioritize this critical mission.” ###


title: Justice Department Secures ADA Agreement with California County to Improve Mental Health Services

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a motion to intervene in Disability Rights California v. Alameda County and a proposed settlement agreement with Alameda County, California, and private plaintiffs to resolve allegations that the county violates Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in its provision of mental health services. Specifically, the proposed settlement agreement would resolve the department’s findings that Alameda County fails to provide services to qualified individuals with mental health disabilities in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs. Instead, the department found that the county places too many people with mental illness into institutions such as John George Psychiatric Hospital and other facilities. In Olmstead v. L.C. , the U.S. Supreme Court held that Title II of the ADA requires public entities, in providing services to persons with disabilities, to do so in their homes and communities when appropriate services can reasonably be provided in those settings to individuals who want them. “It’s time to bring an end to the unnecessary incarceration and over-institutionalization of people with mental health disabilities in our country,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “People with mental health disabilities have the right to live in their own homes and communities with services that are effective in supporting their recovery instead of being relegated to repeated hospitalization and avoidable involvement with the criminal justice system. This agreement reaffirms the Justice Department’s commitment to ensuring that people with mental illness can access the care they need free from unnecessary barriers.” The proposed settlement agreement requires the county to provide timely mobile crisis response services throughout the county and intensive mental health, housing, and employment services. The agreement addresses planning for people being discharged from psychiatric facilities and the Santa Rita Jail to help strengthen connections to critical mental health services. The proposed settlement also requires the county to reach out and engage proactively with people who have serious mental illness. The department appreciates the collaboration with plaintiffs’ counsel from Disability Rights California, Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund and Goldstein, Borgen, Dardarian & Ho. The department recognizes Alameda County for its commitment to compliance with the ADA. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt . Members of the public may report possible civil right violations at www.civilrights.justice.gov . View the filing here.


title: Federal Judge Sentences Hickory, N.C. Man To 14 Years In Prison For Trafficking Methamphetamine In Catawba And Caldwell Counties

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell sentenced Joseph William Patton, 34, of Hickory, N.C., to 168 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release today for trafficking methamphetamine, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Alicia Jones, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, Sheriff Donald G. Brown II of the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Alan C. Jones, of the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office, and Chief Reed Baer of the Hickory Police Department join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, Patton was operating as a major source of supply of methamphetamine in Catawba and Caldwell Counties. Between April and December 2022, law enforcement conducted a joint investigation into Patton’s drug trafficking activities, including arranging multiple controlled purchases of methamphetamine from the defendant. On December 12, 2022, law enforcement initiated a traffic stop of the vehicle Patton was a passenger in for an expired tag violation. During the traffic stop, law enforcement recovered from the vehicle a firearm, $5,448 in cash, and several baggies filled with methamphetamine, fentanyl, and Xanax pills. On the same day, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Patton’s residence, where they recovered 9 mm rifle and four magazines. On July 20, 2023, Patton pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Patton is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. The ATF, the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office, the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office, and the Hickory Police Department conducted the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) William Wiseman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case. Mr. Wiseman is a state prosecutor with the office of the 26 th Prosecutorial District and was assigned by District Attorney Spencer Merriweather to serve as a SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte. Mr. Wiseman is sworn in both state and federal courts. The SAUSA position is a reflection of the partnership between the District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. 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: Charlotte Man Is Sentenced For Possession Of A Firearm In Furtherance Of Drug Trafficking Crime

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Benjamin James Hemphill, 24, of Charlotte, was sentenced today to 60 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release today for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to information in court documents and court proceedings, on August 4, 2021, CMPD officers arrested Hemphill after the defendant fled on foot from the scene of a car accident. Court documents show that officers at the scene of the accident searched Hemphill’s vehicle and recovered two firearms, over 3,500 pressed oxycodone pills that contained fentanyl, MDMA pills, and quantities of cocaine, cocaine base, and marijuana. Hemphill was arrested shortly thereafter. Hemphill is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the DEA and CMPD for their investigation of the case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) William Wiseman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case. Mr. Wiseman is a state prosecutor with the office of the 26 th Prosecutorial District and was assigned by District Attorney Spencer Merriweather to serve as a SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte. Mr. Wiseman is sworn in both state and federal courts. The SAUSA position is a reflection of the partnership between the District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. 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: Hannibal Man Sentenced to 6 Years in Prison for Making Pipe Bombs

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from Hannibal, Missouri who made multiple illegal pipe bombs in 2022 was sentenced Tuesday to six years in federal prison. Joshua Eugene Rickey, 34, admitted making a series of pipe bombs using plastic and metal pipes and materials from fireworks between July 4, 2022 and Aug. 13, 2022. Rickey admitted detonating two. During Tuesday’s sentencing hearing in front of U.S. District Judge John A. Ross, Assistant U.S. Attorney Nino Przulj said there was a progression in both the size of the bombs Rickey made and the ongoing danger those bombs presented to the community. One of the seized bombs required detonation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) because it could not be safely handled. Courtesy of the Hannibal Police Department. “This case illustrates ATF’s commitment in preventing attacks instead of responding to their aftermath,” said Special Agent in Charge Bernard Hansen for the ATF’s Kansas City Field Division. “The conviction and now federal sentencing of this individual demonstrates our steadfast efforts to hold accountable individuals who threaten the safety of our communities.” Rickey pleaded guilty in July in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of manufacture of one or more unregistered destructive devices and one count of possession of one or more unregistered destructive devices. The ATF and the Hannibal Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nino Przulj prosecuted the case.


title: Former New York Lawyer Sentenced to Nearly 3 Years in Prison for Accepting $2.2 Million Kickback in LADWP Corrupt Litigation Scheme

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A disbarred New York City lawyer, who simultaneously represented the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) and a ratepayer suing the City of Los Angeles in the wake of an LADWP billing debacle, was sentenced today to 33 months in federal prison for accepting a kickback of nearly $2.2 million for causing another lawyer to purportedly represent his ratepayer client in a collusive lawsuit against the city, which enabled the city to settle the case on favorable terms. Paul O. Paradis, 60, of Scottsdale, Arizona, who once ran the Manhattan-based Paradis Law Group, was sentenced by United States District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld Jr. At today’s hearing, Judge Blumenfeld said Paradis intentionally placed himself “at the center of sophisticated and greedy schemes of corruption that wreaked havoc on individuals and institutions alike.” Judge Blumenfeld further explained that Paradis was motivated by “pure greed” and said the level of corruption in the case was “mind-boggling.” Paradis pleaded guilty in January 2022 to one count of bribery. In 2013, LADWP implemented a new billing system that it had procured from an outside vendor, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). After LADWP rolled out the new system, hundreds of thousands of LADWP ratepayers received massively inflated and otherwise inaccurate utility bills. Soon afterward, the city and LADWP faced multiple class-action lawsuits filed by ratepayers alleging harm resulting from the faulty billing system. In December 2014, the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office retained Paradis as special counsel to represent the city in a lawsuit against PwC. When Paradis began representing the city as special counsel in the PwC litigation, the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office was aware that he was simultaneously representing Antwon Jones, a ratepayer who had a claim against LADWP arising from billing overcharges. Jones was unaware that his lawyer, Paradis, also represented his intended adversary. At a February 2015 meeting with at least one senior member of the City Attorney’s Office, Paradis was authorized and directed to find counsel that would be friendly to the city to supposedly represent Jones in a class-action lawsuit against the city. Under this so-called “white knight” strategy, the forthcoming Jones v. City of Los Angeles lawsuit would be used as a vehicle to settle all existing LADWP-billing-related claims against the city on the city’s desired terms. Soon thereafter, Paradis recruited an Ohio lawyer to nominally represent Jones in the white knight lawsuit with the understanding that Paradis would do virtually all the work. In exchange, and unbeknownst to the city, Paradis and the Ohio lawyer agreed that Paradis would receive 20% of the Ohio lawyer’s fees in the Jones v. City case as a secret kickback. In July 2017, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge issued a final approval of the $67 million settlement agreed to by the parties in Jones v. City , including approximately $19 million in plaintiffs’ attorney fees, of which the Ohio lawyer and his law firm obtained approximately $10.3 million. The Ohio lawyer then secretly paid $2,175,000 to Paradis, disguising the kickback as a real estate investment, and funneling it through shell companies that Paradis and the Ohio lawyer had set up exclusively for the purpose of transmitting and concealing the illicit payment. Paradis also admitted bribing LADWP’s general manager, David H. Wright, to obtain a lucrative $30 million no-bid contract in June 2017 to remediate LADWP’s billing system. In another secret deal, Wright lobbied the LADWP Board to approve the contract for Aventador Utility Solutions, a downtown Los Angeles-based cyber services company formed by Paradis, in exchange for Paradis’ promise to make Wright Aventador’s future CEO and give him a $1 million annual salary and luxury car. At the time it approved the no-bid contract, the LADWP Board was not informed that Paradis had ghostwritten a May 2017 independent monitor report on the Jones v. City settlement on which LADWP based its decision. The Paradis-written report claimed that LADWP could not meet its obligations under the Jones v. City settlement agreement unless it contracted with Aventador. The LADWP Board also was unaware that Wright was advocating for the award of the $30 million no-bid contract to Paradis’s company because he had been bribed. Paradis pled guilty to a cooperation plea agreement that requires Paradis to provide information to federal investigators as well as to the State Bar of California, which is conducting its own disciplinary investigation related to the collusive litigation scheme, in exchange for potential sentencing consideration. Federal prosecutors said Paradis’ cooperation helped to secure the guilty pleas of Wright, who also pleaded guilty to bribery, Thomas H. Peters, the former litigation chief of the City Attorney’s Office, who pleaded guilty to extortion in connection with covering up the collusive litigation, and David F. Alexander, LADWP’s former Chief Information Security Officer, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about bribery-related conversations with Paradis. In court papers and at today’s hearing, federal prosecutors recommended a sentence of 18 months’ imprisonment based on Paradis’ cooperation with the federal and State Bar of California investigations. Judge Blumenfeld acknowledged the basis for the government’s recommendation but stated a higher sentence was necessary to account for Paradis’ conduct, which Judge Blumenfeld said, “shattered public confidence in the government and legal profession.” Wright and Alexander are serving federal prison sentences of six years and four years, respectively, after pleading guilty to felony offenses in this case. Peters was sentenced to probation. The FBI investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys J. Jamari Buxton and Susan S. Har of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section prosecuted this case.


title: Wiggins Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking

component: USAO - Mississippi, Southern

body_text: Hattiesburg, MS – A Wiggins man was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute 222 grams of methamphetamine. According to court documents, on February 23, 2022, in Lumberton, Mississippi, Glenn Grant, 37, sold 222 grams of 98% pure methamphetamine to a confidential source. Grant was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 22, 2023, and he pled guilty on July 17, 2023. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) made the announcement. This case was investigated by HSI, with assistance from the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shundral H. Cole prosecuted the case.


title: Illegal Firearm Possession Lands Oklahoma City Man in Federal Prison for Two Decades

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, MICHAEL ANDRE CAMPBELL , 62, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve 240 months in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm after a previous felony conviction, announced U. S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. On August 2, 2022, a federal grand jury returned a Superseding Indictment against Campbell, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm on or about July 1, 2021. In June 2023, Campbell was tried by a federal jury and found guilty. Evidence presented at trial indicated that on July 1, 2021, an individual called law enforcement to report a larceny in progress at their home. Oklahoma City Police Department officers arrived and encountered Campbell, who had a loaded handgun in his waistband. At the sentencing hearing yesterday, U. S. District Judge Joe Heaton sentenced Campbell to serve 240 months in federal prison. In announcing the sentence, Judge Heaton noted the circumstances of the offense and Campbell’s criminal history, which includes an extensive history of robberies. According to public records, Campbell’s felony convictions include: Robbery by force in Tulsa County District Court case number CF-1987-1657; Robbery with a firearm in Tulsa County District Court case number CF-1987-1662; Robbery with a firearm or imitation firearm in Tulsa County District Court case number CF-1992-3411; Robbery with a dangerous weapon in Oklahoma County District Court case number CF-2004-1734; Trafficking in a controlled dangerous substance in Oklahoma County District Court case number CF-2004-1850; and Two counts of robbery with a dangerous weapon in Oklahoma County District Court case number CF-2004-3266. This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Gridley, Allison B. Christian, and Jason M. Harley prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a Department of Justice program to reduce violent crime. In October 2017, the Department announced the reinvigoration of Project Safe Neighborhoods and directed U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop crime-reduction strategies that incorporate lessons federal law enforcement has learned since the program’s launch in 2001. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://justice.gov/psn and https://justice.gov/usao-wdok . Reference is made to public record for more information.


title: Monroeville Man Sentenced To 24 Months For Purchasing Hundreds Of Stolen Log-In Credentials Off The Darkweb

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – A Monroeville man was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for illegally possessing stolen log-in credentials that he purchased from an illicit, invitation-only internet marketplace accessible via the dark web. According to court documents and testimony at sentencing, Genesis Market was an illegal online marketplace housed on foreign servers, which was taken down in Operation Cookie Monster — a joint international cyber operation led by FBI-Milwaukee and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. See https://www.justice.gov/usao-edwi/pr/genesis-market-disrupted-international-cyber-operation Laderian Odom, 28 of Monroeville, Alabama received an invitation to Genesis Market in the summer of 2020. Thereafter, Odom used cryptocurrency to purchase approximately 950 sets of stolen log-in credentials. These credentials included usernames and passwords for online bank accounts, shopping sites like Amazon, social media accounts, and more. With these stolen credentials, a person could fully access these online accounts as if they were the real account holder. After ruling in the government’s favor on a disputed issue concerning the application of the sentencing guidelines, U.S. District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer sentenced Odom to 24 months in prison. Although Odom pleaded guilty, he did not receive any sentencing reduction for accepting responsibility, because Judge Moorer found that Odom knowingly lied about being under indictment in this case when he filled out paperwork attempting to purchase a handgun in August 2023. This case was investigated by FBI-Mobile, with assistance from FBI-Milwaukee. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Bodnar prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.


title: Former FBI Contractor Uses Popular Video Game Platform to Solicit Preteens for Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: Criminal - Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former FBI contractor pleaded guilty today to production and receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). According to court documents, beginning in February, Brett Janes, 26, of Arlington, groomed a 13-year-old minor (MV1) to transition from playing Valorant with him, a popular first-person shooter game, to engaging in “strip” games on a video chat function in Discord. Although MV1 did not want to play this game, Janes employed threats of suicide, various money payments through CashApp, and flattery, until MV1 produced CSAM for him. In addition, a search warrant revealed Janes was communicating with at least a dozen other minors. Of those minors, he convinced one 12-year-old boy to produce CSAM and attempted to entice another 14-year-old boy to produce CSAM. Janes manipulated these minors by befriending, flattering, and outright begging them for content. A review of his devices revealed he purchased hundreds of videos and images of CSAM from the internet, including graphic videos of prepubescent children being raped. Janes pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of children and one count of receipt of child pornography. He is scheduled to be sentenced on February 27, 2024, and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Nicole M. Argentieri, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the plea. Significant assistance was provided by the Arlington County Police Department and the Galloway Township Police Department in New Jersey. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Withers and Special Assistant U.S Attorney McKenzie Hightower are prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-140.


title: Gloucester County Man Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison for  Fraudulently Obtaining More Than $400,000 in Unemployment Insurance Benefits

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Gloucester County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 21 months in prison for illegally obtaining more than $400,000 in unemployment insurance benefits, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Willie Carter, 24, of Paulsboro, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Reneé Marie Bumb to an information charging him with wire fraud. Judge Bumb imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court. According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court: From July 2020 to October 2020, Carter submitted fraudulent unemployment insurance benefit applications to various states. These states provided, and Carter falsely obtained, more than $400,000 in unemployment insurance benefits. In addition to the prison term, Judge Bumb sentenced Carter to three years of supervised release and ordered restitution of $469,582. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone; postal inspectors with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Postal Inspector in Charge Charles A. Nielsen, Philadelphia Division; special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Richard Langham in Philadelphia, and special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Kogan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Cybercrime Unit in Newark.


title: Kalispell felon sentenced to more than three years in prison for illegal possession of 10 firearms, ammunition

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

body_text: MISSOULA — A Kalispell resident with three felony convictions was sentenced today to three years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after law enforcement recovered 10 firearms from his home after three incidents involving firearms, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Jose Angel Estrello, 40, pleaded guilty in June to prohibited person in possession of firearms and ammunition. U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided. The government alleged in court documents that Estrello had three prior felony convictions, including two convictions for robbery in California, and was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. In July 2022, Flathead County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of shots fired near McMannamy Draw and met with Estrello. Estrello was hostile toward the deputies and made comments about getting an AR-15 to defend himself against law enforcement. The next day, sheriff’s deputies responded to a disturbance involving a weapon in a campground. Deputies learned that Estrello exchanged words with another person about a parking spot, pulled a handgun out of his pocket and stated, “This is how we take care of this in Compton.” Deputies responded to a third incident involving road rage near Kalispell and determined that Estrello had pointed a gun at another family. In August 2022, law enforcement searched Estrello’s residence and located 10 firearms, seven magazines and assorted ammunition. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer S. Clark prosecuted the case. The Flathead County Sheriff’s Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. 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. XXX


title: Second Texas Man Pleads Guilty To Cocaine Trafficking In Lackawanna County

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Jose Torres, age 28, of El Paso, Texas, pleaded guilty on November 3, 2023, before U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to the charge of possession with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Torres admitted to possessing between 15 kilograms and 50 kilograms of cocaine for further distribution in the Lackawanna County area in September 2022. The charges stem from an incident on September 29, 2022, in which members of the Pennsylvania State Police made a traffic stop of a vehicle in Lackawanna County. Torres and codefendant, Luis Gonzalez, age 27, of El Paso, Texas, were the occupants of the vehicle. A subsequent search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of sixteen individually wrapped kilograms of cocaine, having a street-value of approximately $500,000. Luis Gonzalez previously entered a guilty plea before Judge Mariani on November 2, 2023 The investigation was conducted by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Pennsylvania State Police and the Scranton Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. Under federal law, the offense carries a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison. The maximum penalty under federal law is up to life in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. # # #


title: Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Running Four Dark Web Child Exploitation Websites

body_text: A Missouri man was sentenced today to life in prison for running four websites dedicated to sharing images and videos of child sexual abuse. According to court documents and evidence at trial, Clint Robert Schram, 55, of Kansas City, hosted, managed, and maintained four different websites from his home. Each of these websites operated over the dark web, and each was devoted to advertising, distributing, and exchanging images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. One of the websites allowed members to post images of children as young as 2 years old, and another had no restrictions on the types of child sexual abuse images that could be shared. Schram advertised and distributed child sexual abuse images over these websites, and he recruited, managed, and directed different tiers of “staff” members who helped run the websites. On May 10, a federal jury convicted Schram of one count of engaging in a child exploitation enterprise and four counts each of advertisement of child pornography and conspiracy to advertise child pornography. The following defendants have also been charged in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri in connection with Schram’s websites: Defendant Residence Case Status Ryan Neal Montgomery Damascus, Oregon Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to advertise child pornography; pending sentencing. Joshua Howland Burlington, Vermont Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to advertise child pornography; pending sentencing. John Jason Vails Cleveland, Oklahoma Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to advertise child pornography; sentenced to 17 years and six months in prison. David Shawn Sobieck Sequim, Washington Passed away before trial; charges dismissed. Thomas Davis Moore Jr. Gruetli-Laager, Tennessee Passed away before trial; charges dismissed. Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Teresa A. Moore for the Western District of Missouri, Assistant Director Luis M. Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Special Agent in Charge Stephen Cyrus of the FBI Kansas City Field Office made the announcement. The FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit and Kansas City Field Office investigated the case, with valuable assistance provided by FBI field offices and resident agencies in Portland, Oregon; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Poulsbo, Washington; Homeland Security Investigations’ offices in Burlington, Vermont, and Boston; and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section’s (CEOS) High Technology Investigative Unit. CEOS Trial Attorney Kyle P. Reynolds and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alison D. Dunning and David Luna for the Western District of Missouri are prosecuting the cases, with valuable assistance from the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of Oregon, District of Vermont, Northern District of Oklahoma, Western District of Washington, and Eastern District of Tennessee. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department. 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: Former FBI Contractor Pleads Guilty to Production and Receipt of Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: A former FBI contractor pleaded guilty today to production and receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). According to court documents, beginning in February, Brett Janes, 26, of Arlington, Virginia, enticed a 13-year-old minor he met through playing Valorant, a popular first-person shooter game, to engage in “strip” games on a video chat in Discord. Janes threatened to commit suicide and sent the victim payments through CashApp to convince the victim to create and send him CSAM. He convinced a 12-year-old boy to produce CSAM and attempted to entice another minor boy to produce CSAM. Janes also admitted to purchasing hundreds of videos and images of CSAM through Telegram. Janes pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of children, including using children to produce CSAM, and one count of receipt of child pornography. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 27, 2024, and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement. The FBI, Arlington County Police Department, and Galloway Township Police Department in New Jersey investigated the case. Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Withers for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Federal Grand Jury Indicts 2 for Allegedly Supplying Fentanyl and Other Narcotics Sold Through Darknet to Customers in All 50 States

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A federal grand jury has indicted two men who allegedly supplied fentanyl-laced pills and methamphetamine for a drug trafficking organization that used the darknet and encrypted messaging applications to sell narcotics to thousands of customers in all 50 states across the country, the Justice Department announced today. The two-count indictment returned October 25 charges Omar Navia, 38, of South Los Angeles, and Adan Ruiz, 27, of Garden Grove, with one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. Ruiz is also charged with one count of distribution of fentanyl. Navia and Ruiz were arrested on November 2 and were arraigned that same day in United States District Court in Los Angeles. Both defendants pleaded not guilty, and a December 26 trial date was scheduled for them. Navia and Ruiz were ordered jailed without bond. According to the indictment, Navia and Ruiz conspired with Rajiv Srinivasan, 38, of Houston, and Michael Ta, 25, of Westminster, who were indicted last year by a federal grand jury and pleaded guilty this year to similar charges. Srinivasan also pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. In their plea agreements, co-conspirators Srinivasan and Ta admitted that their drug trafficking activities caused the death of three individuals and that they sold fentanyl-laced pills to two others who died of drug overdoses soon thereafter. Srinivasan and Ta are awaiting sentencing next year before United States District Judge David O. Carter in Santa Ana. As alleged in the indictment, co-conspirator Srinivasan advertised and accepted orders for counterfeit M30 oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and other narcotics through the vendor account “redlightlabs” on multiple darknet marketplaces. Navia and Ruiz allegedly communicated with co-conspirator Srinivasan regarding drug orders, including through encrypted messaging applications, such as “Session” and “Signal,” as well as direct Instagram messages. Navia and Ruiz then delivered controlled substances to Ta for mailing to customers who had ordered those drugs from Srinivasan, according to the indictment. Navia and Ruiz allegedly were paid by Srinivasan for their roles as drug suppliers for the organization, including through cryptocurrency, currency which had been routed through cryptocurrency exchanges, and mobile payment applications including Apple Cash, CashApp, PayPal, Venmo, and Zelle. The indictment alleges that co-conspirators Srinivasan and Ta maintained a shared electronic document that detailed approximately 3,800 drug transactions to approximately 1,400 unique customers in all 50 states across the country. That database documented sales between May 2022 and November 2022 totaling approximately 123,688 fentanyl pills, approximately 20 pounds of methamphetamine, and smaller amounts of fentanyl powder, black tar heroin and cocaine, according to the indictment. An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The statutory maximum sentence for the conspiracy charge alleged in the indictment is life in federal prison. The statutory maximum sentence for distribution of fentanyl is 20 years in federal prison. The FBI is investigating this matter. The investigation in this matter was conducted under the auspices of the FBI-led Joint Criminal Opioid Darknet Enforcement Team (JCODE), which targets darknet vendors by using sophisticated, high-tech techniques to identify drug traffickers who wrongly believe the dark web allows them to engage in criminal conduct with anonymity. Since its inception in 2018, JCODE investigations have resulted in the arrest of more than 300 darknet drug traffickers, as well as the seizure of more than $42 million in drug-tainted proceeds, over 800 kilograms of narcotics, and approximately 145 firearms. Assistant United States Attorney Gregg E. Marmaro of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section is prosecuting this case.


title: Walton County Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Possessing  Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ATHENS, Ga. – A Walton County, Georgia, resident was sentenced to serve 15 years in prison after he was convicted by a federal jury in February of possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) resulting from a GBI-led undercover investigation of an online peer-to-peer sharing network. Johnathan Remsen, 38, of Loganville, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 180 months in prison to be followed by 25 years of supervised release by U.S. District C. Ashley Royal today after he was found guilty of possession of child pornography on Feb. 1. Remsen will have to register as a sex offender for life upon release from prison. Remsen is not eligible for parole. “Our office will not hesitate to use the federal resources at our disposal to hold individuals accountable for downloading, sharing, creating or contributing to the sexual abuse and exploitation of children,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Every time a person views child sexual abuse material, they become complicit in the appalling abuse of a child. Working with our dedicated law enforcement and community partners, we will do everything in our power to protect the innocent and bring child predators to justice.” “The victimization of a child doesn’t end when that child’s pornographic images are recorded. Every time an individual like Remsen possesses those images and views them for personal gratification, that child is victimized again and again,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI will always make it a priority to protect our most vulnerable assets, our children.” “Federal prosecution sends a clear message that downloading and viewing child sexual abuse material is a serious crime. The GBI’s Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit investigates numerous cases just like this one and will not slow down until these perpetrators are held accountable. We’ll continue to work with strong federal partners, like the United States Attorney’s Office, to seek justice for these vulnerable victims,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, GBI conducted an undercover investigation on the peer-to-peer sharing network BitTorrent in July 2017. An undercover agent received 29 videos containing CSAM from an IP address traced back to a Walton County residence where Remsen resided. Law enforcement searched the residence in Jan. 2018, recovering a computer tower belonging to Remsen that contained 2,357 picture files and 196 video files of suspected CSAM (also known as child pornography). Remsen was interviewed by law enforcement and made statements indicating that he “accidentally” downloaded CSAM, and then later stated that it was not an accident. He further admitted that he looked at CSAM, but he never meant to download or keep it. The explicit photos and videos contained child sexual abuse material of children 12 years old and younger. The case was investigated by the GBI and the FBI. Criminal Chief Leah McEwen prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Kalim previously assisted with the prosecution.


title: Mathis woman admits to trafficking meth through the mail

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 45-year-old woman has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute liquid meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. The investigation into Elena Barrera began in November 2020 when authorities learned of a parcel containing liquid meth that was being shipped from Mexico to Mathis. Law enforcement intercepted the package and found it contained approximately seven kilograms of liquid meth concealed within shampoo bottles. They conducted a controlled delivery at the post office and Barrera picked up the package. As part of her plea, Barrera admitted to using the mail to receive multiple other packages of narcotics and to recruiting others to retrieve packages of narcotics for her. U.S. District Judge David S. Morales will impose sentencing Jan. 30, 2024. At that time, Barrera faces up to life in federal prison and a possible $10 million maximum fine. Barrera was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing. Texas Department of Public Safety and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Foster is prosecuting the case.


title: Sapulpa Man Sentenced to Life for Aggravated Sexual Abuse

body_text: A Sapulpa man was sentenced today. U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced David Bert Paycer, 52, to life in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release. In May of 2023, a federal jury found Paycer guilty of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor under 12 years of age in Indian Country. According to court documents, Paycer gained access to his 8-year-old victim by taking over primary care, shortly after meeting and marrying the victim’s mother. Paycer’s grooming began immediately, which lead to sexually abusing the victim. He warned the minor victim not to tell anyone. At trial, the jury heard from four total victims, who testified against Paycer in court. Those victims all testified that Paycer had sexually abused them when they were between the ages of 6 and 8 years old. “David Paycer preyed on, manipulated and sexually abused an 8-year-old victim left in his care,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This week, the Court made it clear that Paycer’s predatory actions and blame shifting warranted a lifetime in federal prison.” Previously released on bond prior to trial, Paycer self-surrender after trial and was taken into custody where he will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Valeria Luster and Chantelle Dial prosecuted 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Mescalero Man charged with Domestic Abuse

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Frank Shorty Trujillo appeared in federal court on a criminal complaint charging him with assault by strangulation and/or suffocating a spouse or intimate partner. Trujillo, 18, of Mescalero, and an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. According to the criminal complaint, on Oct 9, 2023, Trujillo assaulted Jane Doe in front of their one-year-old son because he was angry that his “weed” had not been delivered as scheduled to the residence. Trujillo pushed Jane Doe into their young son, causing her to fall on top of the baby, who then began to cry. Trujillo then climbed on top of the Jane Doe and strangled her for approximately five seconds, preventing her from being able to breathe, punched her, bit her on the leg, pushed her down into the bed and pulled her hair. Jane Doe feared for her life and believed that Trujillo was going to kill her. The morning following the assault, Jane Doe tried to speak to Trujillo who was armed with a knife. Trujillo cut himself with the knife on his arm and neck. After Trujillo learned that law enforcement had been called, he then fled into the woods to avoid arrest. An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted on the current charges, Trujillo faces ten years in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. The Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matilda McCarthy Villalobos and A’Kiesha Soliman are prosecuting the case. # # # 23-263


title: Louisville Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Murdering a Man During a Carjacking

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Louisville, KY – Yesterday, a local man was sentenced to federal prison for a carjacking that resulted in death. He was also sentenced for the use, possession, and discharge of a firearm during, and in relation to, a crime of violence, resulting in murder. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement. According to court documents, Ashton Clay Nally, 23, of Louisville was sentenced to 30 years in prison, followed by a 5-year term of supervised release, for carjacking resulting in death, and the use, possession, and discharge of a firearm during, and in relation to, a crime of violence, resulting in murder. These charges stem from a carjacking resulting in the death of the victim that occurred on November 23, 2020, at 2135 Crittenden Drive in Louisville. There is no parole in the federal system. “I commend the FBI Louisville Field Office, LMPD, and the prosecutors for their work in this case,” stated U.S. Attorney Bennett. “Fighting violent crime remains a high priority of this office and together with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners we will continue to actively investigate and aggressively prosecute those who commit violence and place the safety of our citizens at risk.” “This sentence should serve as a stark warning to the citizens of the Commonwealth of Kentucky who choose to commit armed carjackings and other senseless acts of violence. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will not stand for violent offenders who recklessly terrorize innocent lives,” said Special Agent in Charge Stansbury. “In partnership with the Louisville Violent Crime Task Force, FBI Louisville will continue to work tirelessly to ensure violent criminals are removed from our streets.” The FBI Louisville Field Office and LMPD investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Alicia P. Gomez and Mac Shannon. 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: York County Man Sentenced To Fifteen Months’ Imprisonment For Drug Offense

body_text: HARRISBURG- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Rasheed Ibrahim, age 23, formerly of York County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on November 6, 2023, by the Honorable Jennifer P. Wilson to 15 months’ imprisonment to be followed by two years of supervised released based upon his previously entered guilty plea for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana. Ibrahim is currently incarcerated at the York County Prison on related local charges. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Ibrahim and co-defendant Infinite Corbett possessed with the intent to distribute marijuana on February 27, 2021, in York City, Pennsylvania. Corbett pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and was sentenced on March 21, 2023, to serve 65 months’ imprisonment. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the York City Police Department and was prosecuted by former Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaime M. Keating, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Johnny Baer and Bruce D. Brandler. # # #


title: Luzerne County Woman Pleads Guilty To Fentanyl Trafficking

body_text: SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Casey VanGorder age 28, of Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to the charge of conspiracy to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, VanGorder admitted to conspiring with other individuals to distribute between 40 grams and 160 grams of fentanyl in the Luzerne County area between 2019 and 2020. VanGorder was indicted by a grand jury in August 2020 for fentanyl trafficking. The charge against the defendant resulted from an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), the Kingston Police Department, the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case. This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. Under federal law, the offense carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, a maximum sentence of up to forty years in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. ###


title: Former City of Richmond Official and Wife Sentenced for Fraud

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A former senior manager at the City of Richmond Department of Public Works (DPW) and his wife were sentenced today to 27 months in prison and 8 months of home incarceration, respectively, for defrauding the City of Richmond. According to court documents, Michael Evins, 67, previously served as the Deputy Director of Operations at DPW and managed up to 60 other employees. Evins used his position within DPW, a governmental entity responsible for providing engineering, technical, and administrative services to Richmond residents, to steer governmental contracts towards himself and his co-conspirators, including his wife, Samaria Evins, 52. From at least 2016 through 2021, Michael Evins and Samaria Evins took steps to defraud the DPW. First, Samaria Evins and other co-conspirators created and operated straw companies to bid on DPW work. Second, Michael Evins designated and approved DPW work to be performed by these straw companies using his position at DPW, circumventing Virginia law and City of Richmond rules against self-dealing by public employees. In some instances, the work to be performed was completely fabricated and no such work was ever needed. In other instances, the work was actually performed by DPW employees, not by contracted vendors. Sometimes, Samaria Evins and other co-conspirators subcontracted the work out for profit upon winning the DPW work. Third, where procurement amounts exceeded $5,000, a DPW approval threshold requiring that work be competitively bid, Michael Evins and his co-conspirators manufactured fictitious straw bids on behalf of competitor companies to engineer the preferred company winning the work. Finally, upon receiving DPW funds, Samaria Evins and other co-conspirators paid Michael Evins a portion of the proceeds. As an example, in early 2019, DPW sought to have overgrown foliage at Parker Field, an area in Richmond, cleared in advance of Fourth of July celebrations that same year. Though Michael Evins knew mowing of the field was being performed by DPW employees, he nevertheless approved a requisition in the DPW purchase order system for a company owned by Samaria Evins to mow the entire area 16 times in four days, at a total cost of $4,800. In all, Michael Evins, Samaria Evins, and their co-conspirators fraudulently caused DPW to disburse at least $603,701 in funds to companies owned by Samaria Evins and her co-conspirators, causing approximately $226,767 in loss to DPW. A co-conspirator, Shaun Lindsey , a senior administrative technician at DPW, pleaded guilty to the same scheme on May 9 and will be sentenced on November 14, 2023. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; and James Osuna, Inspector General, City of Richmond Office of the Inspector General, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck. Assistant U.S. Attorney Avi Panth prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 3:23-cr-81, 3:23-cr-87, and 3:23-cr-53.


title: Montgomery Man Pleads Guilty to Scheme Costing an Elderly Victim Over $95,000

component: USAO - Alabama, Middle

body_text: Montgomery, Alabama – Today, Acting United States Attorney Jonathan S. Ross announced that Nicholas Houston Allen, 36, a resident of Montgomery, Alabama, pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud. The convictions result from Allen’s victimizing an elderly Montgomery resident. The United States Secret Service and the Alabama Securities Commission provided valuable assistance in the investigation and prosecution of this case. According to the indictment and other court records, Allen held himself out as the owner of an insulation business called Professional Fix, LLC. In January of 2021, Allen told an elderly victim that his mother had recently passed away and that he had inherited his mother’s house in Montgomery. Allen asked the victim to provide him with money so that he could remodel and resell the house for a profit. None of this was true. Allen’s mother was still alive, and he had not inherited her house. Based on Allen’s misrepresentations, from January 2021 through May 2021, the victim gave Allen approximately $95,800 for the sole purpose of remodeling the house. Allen told the victim the money would be used to cover the cost of a new roof, water damage repairs, soil testing, and pool repairs, among other expenses. These repairs were never accomplished. Instead, Allen used the money for his own personal benefit. On November 2, 2023, Allen pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 15, 2024. At that hearing, Allen will face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, along with substantial fines and restitution. Combatting elder abuse and financial fraud targeted at seniors is a key priority of the Department of Justice. The mission of the Department’s Elder Justice Initiative is to support and coordinate the Department’s efforts to combat elder abuse, neglect, and financial fraud scams that target our nation’s seniors. To learn more, visit https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice . The public is encouraged to report victimization and suspected fraud schemes by calling the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). The United States Secret Service and the Alabama Securities Commission investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Michelle R. Turner and Special Assistant United States Attorney Louis V. Franklin, Sr., of the Alabama Securities Commission are prosecuting the case.


title: La Valle Resident Sentenced to 5 Years of Probation for Amazon Fraudulent Return Scheme

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Christian Wink, 27, La Valle, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 5 years of probation for wire fraud and filing a false tax return. Wink pleaded guilty to these charges on June 22, 2023. The government’s investigation revealed that between 2017 and 2020, Wink ordered expensive items through Amazon, such as ethernet switches and Wi-Fi routers, and then initiated the return process. Wink would return materially different items that were cheaper or broken, such as cell phone charging cables. Wink then received a refund for the amount of the original purchases. Wink then kept both the ordered items and the refund. During the course of this scheme, Wink engaged in more than 3,485 fraudulent transactions causing losses to Amazon of approximately $372,359.07. Wink admitted that he failed to report the income he generated from the fraudulent return scheme on his personal 2020 tax return. At the sentencing hearing, Judge Peterson stated that the scope and scale of Wink’s criminal conduct normally would warrant a prison sentence. However, Judge Peterson noted that it was a mitigating circumstance that Wink has a long history of suffering from mental illness, including the time period he committed the fraud against Amazon. Judge Peterson also noted that Wink turned his life around once he committed to mental health treatment in 2021. Judge Peterson concluded that a sentence of five years of probation would allow Wink to continue effectively managing his mental health needs. The charges against Wink were a result of an investigation conducted by IRS Criminal Investigation. Amazon provided support for the investigation. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner.


title: Maryland Man Sentenced to 97 Months in Prison  For Distributing Child Pornography

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Justin Lee Snowden, 33, of Pasadena, Md., was sentenced today to 97 months in prison on one count of distribution of child pornography for sending videos, over the internet, of children being sexually abused. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Snowden pleaded guilty to the charge on July 7, 2023, in the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced today by the Honorable Rudolph Contreras, who also ordered Snowden to serve 15 years of supervised release. According to the government’s evidence, in August and September of 2022, Snowden joined and participated in an online chat platform devoted to the sexual exploitation of children. Beginning on Aug. 19, 2022, Snowden communicated with an undercover officer, based in San Francisco, and offered a female child – whom he claimed was his daughter – to someone he believed had a sexual interest in children. On Sept. 17, Snowden had a similar conversation with an undercover agent in Tampa, Fla., regarding the abuse of girls who Snowden purported to be his daughters. The next day, he began an online chat with an undercover officer in Washington D.C., who was a member of the joint Metropolitan Police Department - FBI Child Exploitation Task Force. During the chat, Snowden offered his purported 5- and 7-year-old daughters for sex with members of the group. In actuality, Snowden did not have any children. He also sent others non-explicit pictures of two minor females. During the chat, Snowden claimed that he had sexually abused the girls. Later, Snowden sent an image to the undercover agent of a nude toddler lying on her back with her legs spread, and a video depicting an adult man sexually abusing a prepubescent child. Snowden asked the undercover agent for sexually explicit images of the agent’s purported daughter. On each occasion, Snowden had every reason to believe that he was chatting with someone who intended to sexually abuse a child or who was actively abusing one. Because law enforcement intervened, Snowden’s actions did not lead to the hands-on sexual abuse of an actual child. Snowden was arrested on Sept. 26, 2022, in Washington D.C. He has been detained ever since. This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia, including the Metropolitan Police Department. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jocelyn Bond and Trial Attorney Angelica Carrasco of the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Alexis Spencer-Anderson.


title: Disbarred Attorney Charged In COVID-19 Relief Loan Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James Smith, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced the unsealing of an Indictment today charging DOUGLAS RAYMOND ARNTSEN with masterminding a fraudulent scheme to obtain more than $1.3 million in government-funded loans designed to provide relief to small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. ARNTSEN was arrested this morning and presented this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Douglas Raymond Arntsen, a disbarred attorney, recruited multiple co-conspirators in a scheme to defraud the government out of more than $1 million by submitting fraudulent loan applications. These loans were funded by the American taxpayers and meant to help small businesses struggling from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. They were not meant to line people’s pockets for personal gain. Today’s arrest demonstrates this Office’s ongoing commitment to holding accountable those who illegally profited from a national emergency.” FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Smith said: “Arntsen allegedly recruited people who were facing financial stress amidst an unprecedented global pandemic into a fraudulent scheme to illegally obtain $1.3 million in COVID-19 relief funds intended for small businesses. COVID-19 relief schemes abuse a government funded program that was designed to help small businesses who were struggling during a time of economic confusion. The FBI will bring to justice anyone who attempted to fraudulently exploit COVID-19 relief programs for their personal benefit.” According to the allegations in the Indictment, which was unsealed today: [1] Between in or about June 2020 through at least in or about August 2020, DOUGLAS RAYMOND ARNTSEN orchestrated a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) by submitting fraudulent loan applications through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) Program. In doing so, ARNTSEN recruited multiple co-conspirators. ARNTSEN promised potential co-conspirators a way out of their difficult financial circumstances. Certain of those co-conspirators trusted ARNTSEN because they thought he was an attorney. In reality, ARNTSEN had been disbarred. ARNTSEN asked his co-conspirators to give him their personal information, including social security and driver’s license numbers, and then used this information to submit fraudulent loan applications to the EIDL program. The applications submitted by ARNTSEN falsely claimed that the co-conspirators owned businesses that had substantial revenue. Often, the co-conspirators named as owners of the businesses, in fact, had no legitimate connection to the businesses at all. After the loan applications were submitted, ARNTSEN directed his co-conspirators to lie to the SBA during the loan diligence process. ARNTSEN also directed his co-conspirators to recruit additional participants to his fraudulent scheme. After one co-conspirator had obtained a fraudulent loan, ARNTSEN directed him, in sum and substance, to “[g]et me one more warm body.” The co-conspirator proceeded to give ARNTSEN the personal information of a relative, which was then used to obtain another fraudulent loan. ARNTSEN and his co-conspirators enriched themselves through the fraud. In total, ARNTSEN and his co-conspirators obtained at least approximately $1.3 million in fraudulent loans and attempted to obtain hundreds of thousands of dollars of additional loans that the SBA declined to fund. After one fraudulent loan was approved by the SBA, ARNTSEN texted a co-conspirator, in sum and substance, “Need how you want your bank checks. Your chariot has arrived this morning.” * * * ARNTSEN, 45, of Staten Island, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and additionally thanked the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office for its assistance. This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Sowlati is in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Removes Almost 600,000 Pounds of Unneeded Prescription Medications Across the Country

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: DETROIT – On Oct. 28, 2023, the community once again emptied their medicine cabinets to help dispose of old, unwanted, and expired medications. Nationwide, DEA and its law enforcement partners collected 599,897 pounds of unneeded medications at 4,675 collection sites nationwide. Locally, the Detroit Field Division collected 62,771 pounds between 498 sites in Michigan, Ohio and northern Kentucky. For more than a decade, DEA’s National Prescription Take Back Day has removed almost 17.9 million pounds of unneeded medications from communities across the country. “We are in a fight to save lives,” said U.S. Attorney for the Western District Mark Totten . “Drug Take Back Days are an important preventative measure in the United States’ efforts to combat drug abuse and the opioid crisis. I commend our law enforcement partners, community partners, residents, and everyone who supported DEA Take Back Day to keep unwanted medications from getting into the wrong hands.” “Too often we see a friend or family member’s medicine cabinet unknowingly becoming the source of an accidental poisoning, an overdose, or abuse,” said DEA Detroit Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene . “A big thank you to our many partners who continue to show their commitment to ridding our communities of these unwanted medications.” According to a report published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, a majority of people who use prescription medication for a nonmedical purpose obtained that medication from a family member or friend. Removing unnecessary medications from the home can help prevent situations involving; not taking medication as intended or dosed; taking someone else’s prescription; and taking the medicine for euphoric effects rather than medicinal purposes. DEA continues to expand opportunities to make safe disposal of medications more accessible nationwide. We encourage people to remove unnecessary medications from their home regularly and dispose of it at one of the nearly 17,000 permanent drug-drop boxes located in communities across the country. Those locations can be found here . Safe medication disposal receptacles along with DEA Take Back events provide families easy, no-cost opportunities to get rid of unnecessary medicines stored in the home. Complete results for DEA’s fall National Prescription Drug Take Back Day are available at Take Back Day (dea.gov) . ###


title: Convicted Felon from Alexander City Sentenced to 130 Months in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing Firearms

body_text: MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA – On November 7, 2023, a federal judge sentenced 42-year-old Jeremy Glenn Dye, a resident of Alexander City, Alabama, to 130 months in prison for possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony offense and for possessing a stolen firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney Jonathan S. Ross. In addition, the judge ordered that Dye serve three years of supervised release following his prison term. Federal inmates are not eligible for parole. According to court records and statements made in court, on October 6, 2021, law enforcement spotted Dye exiting a camper in Alexander City. Officers recognized Dye and knew that there was a warrant outstanding for his arrest. When officers approached Dye, he initially attempted to flee, but was apprehended after a short chase. Dye had a book bag with him at the time of the arrest. Inside the book bag was a handgun that had recently been reported stolen. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the camper and found three more stolen firearms, including two shotguns and a rifle. Dye is a convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing firearms. On July 27, 2023, Dye pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a stolen firearm. This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Alexander City Police Department investigated this case, which Assistant United States Attorney Brandon W. Bates prosecuted.