title: Justice Department Secures $8M from Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation to Address Redlining in Black Communities in Birmingham, Alabama

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: The Justice Department and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced today that Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation (Fairway) has agreed to pay $8 million and a $1.9 million civil money penalty to resolve allegations that it engaged in a pattern or practice of lending discrimination by redlining predominantly Black neighborhoods in and around Birmingham, Alabama. Redlining is an illegal practice by which lenders avoid providing credit services to individuals living in communities of color because of the race, color, or national origin of residents in those communities. With this settlement, the Justice Department’s Combating Redlining Initiative surpassed $150 million in relief for communities of color nationwide that have experienced lending discrimination. This settlement marks the Justice Department’s 15th redlining settlement in three years. Under the Combating Redlining Initiative, the Department has secured a historic amount of relief that is expected to generate over $1 billion in investment in communities of color in places such as Houston; Memphis; Los Angeles; Philadelphia; and Birmingham. “This settlement, and the over $150 million in relief the Justice Department has secured for communities across the country through our Combating Redlining Initiative, will help to ensure that future generations of Americans inherit a legacy of home ownership that they too often have been denied,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “This case is a reminder that redlining is not a relic of the past, and the Justice Department will continue to work urgently to combat lending discrimination wherever it arises and to secure relief for the communities harmed by it.” The Justice Department and CFPB allege that Fairway illegally redlined Black neighborhoods in Birmingham, including through its marketing and sales actions, and discouraged residents of those neighborhoods from applying for mortgage loans. The settlement announced today requires Fairway to provide $7 million for a loan subsidy program to offer affordable home purchase, refinance, and home improvement loans in Birmingham’s majority-Black neighborhoods, invest an additional $1 million in programs to support that loan subsidy fund, and pay a $1.9 million civil penalty to the CFPB’s victims relief fund. This case is the third redlining enforcement action brought jointly by the Justice Department and the CFPB under the initiative, highlighting the strong partnership between the agencies to root out and address lending discrimination. “Birmingham lies at the heart of our nation’s civil rights struggle but is also a community that bears the legacy of discriminatory redlining and other exclusionary policies,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This settlement will provide Birmingham’s Black neighborhoods with the access to credit they have long been denied and increase opportunities for homeownership and generational wealth. This settlement makes clear our intent to uproot modern-day redlining in every corner of the country, including in the deep South. With more than $150 million in total relief secured in three short years, our Combating Redlining Initiative is generating real economic opportunity for communities of color while sending a strong message to mortgage lenders, no matter their business model, that discriminatory lending will not be tolerated in America.” “The settlement reached with Fairway Mortgage is a win for communities of color here in Birmingham that have historically been denied access to vital economic resources,” said U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona for the Northern District of Alabama. “Our office is committed to ensuring that these communities have equal access to housing and credit resources.” “The CFPB and Justice Department are holding Fairway accountable for redlining Black neighborhoods,” said CFPB Director Rohit Chopra. “Fairway’s unlawful redlining discouraged families from seeking loans for homes in Birmingham’s Black neighborhoods.” Fairway is a non-depository mortgage company headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin. In 2022, Fairway was the nation’s fifth-largest lender by origination volume and ninth-largest by application volume. Fairway operates in the Birmingham area under the trade name MortgageBanc. The complaint describes how Fairway redlined majority-Black neighborhoods in the Birmingham Metropolitan Statistical Area (Birmingham MSA). During the period covered by the complaint, the Birmingham MSA included six counties in north central Alabama with a combined population of about 1.1 million. While Fairway claimed to serve the entire metropolitan area, it concentrated all its retail loan offices in majority-white areas, directed less than 3% of its direct mail advertising to consumers in majority-Black areas, and for years discouraged homeownership in majority-Black areas by generating loan applications at a rate far below its peer institutions. The Justice Department and CFPB allege that Fairway violated the Fair Housing Act, Equal Credit Opportunity Act, and Consumer Financial Protection Act. Specifically, the government alleges problematic conduct by Fairway including: Failing to address known signs of discrimination : Fairway’s own data showed that, since at least 2017, it was failing to serve majority-Black neighborhoods in the Birmingham area, but before October 2022, it took no meaningful actions to address redlining risk. Between 2018 and 2022, only 3.7% of Fairway’s applications were for properties in majority-Black areas, compared to 12.2% for Fairway’s peer lenders. In other words, Fairway’s peer lenders generated applications for properties in majority-Black areas at over three times the rate of Fairway. This disparity was even higher in neighborhoods with 80% or more Black residents, where Fairway made loans at less than one-eighth of the rate of its peer lenders. Despite these figures, Fairway failed to adopt any written plan for marketing or growth to address the concern. Redlining Black neighborhoods: From 2015 through 2022, Fairway operated three retail loan offices and three loan production desks within real estate offices in the Birmingham MSA, all of which were in majority-white areas. Fairway also relied on referrals from real estate professionals and its loan officers’ personal contacts to generate applications, and the vast majority of Fairway’s referral sources and referred consumers were located in majority-white areas. Fairway predominantly directed its marketing to majority-white areas and failed to train or incentivize its existing loan officers to better serve majority-Black areas. By taking these actions, Fairway discriminated against, and unlawfully discouraged mortgage loan applications for properties in, majority-Black neighborhoods. The proposed consent order, which awaits approval by the Federal District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, would require Fairway to: Provide $7 million for a loan subsidy program: The order would require Fairway to offer home purchase, refinance, and home improvement loans on a more affordable basis than otherwise available in majority-Black neighborhoods in the Birmingham MSA. The program may provide lower interest rates, down payment assistance, closing cost assistance, or payment of initial mortgage insurance premiums. Invest at least $1 million in redlined neighborhoods: Fairway would be required to open or acquire a new loan production office or full-service retail office in a majority-Black neighborhood in the Birmingham MSA. The company must also spend at least $500,000 on advertising and outreach, at least $250,000 on consumer financial education, and at least $250,000 on partnerships with one or more community-based or governmental organizations to serve the affected neighborhoods. Pay a $1.9 million penalty: The proposed order imposes a $1.9 million civil penalty against Fairway, which would be paid into the CFPB’s Civil Penalty Fund, also referred to as the victims’ relief fund. Information about the Justice Department’s fair lending enforcement work can be found at www.justice.gov/fairhousing . Individuals may report lending discrimination by calling the Justice Department’s housing discrimination tip line at 1-833-591-0291 or submitting a report online . Consumers can submit complaints about financial products and services by visiting the CFPB’s website or by calling (855) 411-CFPB (2372). Employees who believe their company has violated federal consumer financial protection laws are encouraged to send information about what they know to whistleblower@cfpb.gov . To learn more about reporting potential industry misconduct, visit the CFPB’s website .


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee Observes Domestic Violence Awareness Month

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – October marks the observance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM). Acting U.S. Attorney Reagan Fondren joins the U.S. Department of Justice in commemorating DVAM, paying tribute to victims and survivors, and saluting the dedication of advocates, service providers, justice professionals, law enforcement officers, and first responders who tirelessly work in support of survivors. DVAM serves as an important reminder to raise awareness and engage the community in efforts to end intimate partner violence. According to the Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women, domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship, used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner. Domestic violence can be physical, sexual, emotional, economic, psychological, or technological actions or threats of actions or other patterns of coercive behavior that influence another person within an intimate partner relationship. Domestic violence can happen to anyone regardless of race, age, sexual orientation, religion, sex, or gender identity. Domestic violence affects people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and educational levels and occurs in both opposite-sex and same-sex relationships. It can also happen to intimate partners who are married, living together, dating, or share a child. “Domestic violence is more prevalent than most people realize,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Fondren. “We want the community to know that federal prosecutors for the Western District of Tennessee are using all the tools at our disposal — and leveraging our partnerships with local law enforcement and prosecutors — to ensure victims have a viable path to safety and justice. Our office will continue to prioritize the prosecution of domestic violence offenders who unlawfully possess firearms, or whose criminal conduct occurs online or crosses state lines.” Domestic violence, dating violence, and intimate partner violence can have long-lasting impacts and consequences. Data from the National Domestic Violence Hotline suggests that approximately one in four women and one in seven men will experience severe domestic violence in their lifetimes. Rates are disproportionately higher for historically underserved populations, including LGBTQI+ individuals, persons with disabilities, and racial and ethnic minorities. DVAM provides an opportunity to spread awareness about domestic violence and encourage everyone to play a role in ending gender-based violence. Purple Thursday, observed this Thursday, October 17, 2024, is a National Day of Action during DVAM. It is an opportunity to raise awareness about domestic violence and to show commitment to promoting safe communities. Please join us on October 17 by wearing purple and starting a conversation about domestic violence. If you need help, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or the Strong Hearts Native Helpline at 1-844-762-8483. For more information on domestic violence, visit: https://www.justice.gov/ovw/domestic-violence#dv . ### For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: Tip to CyberTipline Leads to 3 1/2-Year Sentence for Former Portland Educator Who Possessed Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Portland man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for possessing child sexual abuse material. U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Travis McCutcheon , 54, to 42 months in prison, to be followed by eight years of supervised release. McCutcheon pleaded guilty on May 15, 2024. According to court records, in December 2022, the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit (MSPCCU) received a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that in November 2022, two video files containing child sexual abuse material had been detected in a cloud-based storage account serviced by Google Drive. Investigators traced the related subscriber information and IP addresses used to access the Google Drive account to McCutcheon. Investigators executed a search warrant on the account and found two additional video files containing child sexual abuse material and emails from McCutcheon in which he solicited child sexual abuse material. “Although the evidence discovered does not reflect that Mr. McCutcheon possessed materials involving any of his students, his conduct was egregious,” said U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee. “Child sexual abuse material documents the exploitation and abuse of children who suffer revictimization every single time the images are shared or viewed. That an educator could be engaged in such child victimization is unconscionable.” Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the MSPCCU investigated the case. To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material – in legal terms, “child pornography” – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are shared or viewed. File a report with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at https://report.cybertip.org or 1-800-843-5678 . If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741 . Project Safe Childhood: 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 the Department’s 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, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc . ###


title: Camden Men Sentenced to Prison for String of Armed Robberies and Carjackings

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: CAMDEN, N.J. – Two Camden men have been sentenced to prison for their respective roles in conspiracies that involved committing armed carjackings and robbing multiple gas stations in southern New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Kamau Bradshaw, 22, was sentenced today to 108 months in prison; Paul Rogers, 30, was sentenced on Aug. 7, 2024, to 188 months in prison. Both defendants previously pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb to informations charging them with one count of conspiring to commit armed robberies, one count of committing an armed robbery, and one count of conspiring to commit armed carjackings. Judge Bumb imposed the sentences in Camden federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: On Sept. 14, 2021, two masked individuals carrying an AR-style rifle robbed a gas station in Pennsauken, New Jersey. One of the robbers wore a gray Nike hooded sweatshirt and scuffed tan work boots. The second robber wore a tan hooded sweatshirt with “REACTIVE” printed on the sleeves and striped boxer shorts. They obtained cash and cigarettes while brandishing the firearm. Shortly after the robbery, two individuals were seen returning to a residence in Camden with a large duffle bag. On Sept. 17, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a federal search warrant at the Camden residence and recovered, among other items, a duffle bag, an AR-style rifle, a gray Nike sweatshirt, scuffed tan work boots, and a tan hooded sweatshirt with “REACTIVE” printed on the sleeves. Bradshaw and Rogers were present when law enforcement agents executed the search warrant, at which time Bradshaw was wearing striped boxer shorts consistent with those worn by one of the robbers during the robbery. Rogers and Bradshaw each admitted their role in eight gas station robberies or attempted robberies in addition to the Sept. 14, 2021, robbery in Pennsauken, including robberies in Haddon Township on Aug. 30, 2021; Pennsauken on Aug. 30, 2021; Bridgeton on Aug. 31, 2021; Brooklawn on Aug. 31, 2021; Vineland on Aug. 31, 2021; Pennsauken on Sept. 1, 2021; Haddon Township on Sept. 1, 2021; and Haddon Township on Sept. 16, 2021. Two of the gas stations were victimized more than once. At each gas station, at least one member of the conspiracy brandished what appeared to be an assault weapon in order to threaten the gas station attendant. For several of the robberies, Bradshaw and Rogers used a car they obtained by committing an armed carjacking in Philadelphia. Members of the carjacking conspiracy traveled from Camden to Philadelphia and brandished what appeared to be an assault weapon in order to force a driver and passenger from an automobile. They returned to Camden with the victims’ car, which they proceeded to use to drive to and from some of their gas stations robberies. In addition to the prison term, Chief Judge Bumb sentenced Rogers and Bradshaw each to three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents with Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, with the investigation leading to the sentencings. He also thanked the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, Bridgeton City Police Department, Brooklawn Borough Police Department, Camden County Police Department, Haddon Township Police Department, New Jersey State Police, Oaklyn Police Department, Pennsauken Township Police Department, Vineland Police Department, and the Philadelphia Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.


title: Juniata County Woman Pleads Guilty To Social Security And Housing Choice Voucher Program Fraud

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Doris Santana, age 53, of Thompsontown, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on October 11, 2024, to a three-count criminal information charging her with social security fraud and theft of public money related to her theft of social security and federal housing funds. According to court documents and statements made in court, between February 2008 and December 2021, Santana was a participant in the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP), which provided rental assistance to eligible recipients. Between May 2018 and September 2024, Santana also received Supplemental Security Income (SSI) from the Social Security Administration (SSA). In April 2011, Santana married Individual 1. However, Santana concealed the marriage from the SSA and HUD. Santana’s marriage to, cohabitation with, and receipt of income from, Individual 1 rendered Santana ineligible to receive SSI and Housing Choice Voucher Program funds. As alleged by the government, over the relevant time period, Santana’s conduct resulted in a total loss of $145,397.30 from the SSA and HUD. The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General and Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney David C. Williams is prosecuting the case. The total maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is up to 25 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. # # #


title: Mother Pleads Guilty in Death of Three-Year-Old Child from Fentanyl Poisoning

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Sasha McCoy, 28, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty on October 15, 2024, on the charge of voluntary manslaughter in the death of her 3-year-old daughter on October 28, 2022, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), announced. McCoy has been in custody since her arrest on February 15, 2024. Her guilty plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for an agreed-upon 4 to10-year prison sentence, to be followed by five years of supervised release. According to a proffer of facts submitted at the plea hearing, at approximately 1:00 p.m. on October 28, 2022, McCoy took her two children to the back bedroom of the location she was staying for a nap and placed them in the bed. When McCoy went to check on her children, she found her 3-year-old daughter unconscious and unresponsive. She later died at the hospital. A small plastic bag that contained two blue round pills with a monogram “M” and half of an oval pill were discovered on top of the bed that the children were sleeping in. The drug analysis determined that the partial tablet was Alprazolam – that is Xanax. The oval pills were determined to contain 4-ANPP, Acetaminophen, Fentanyl, Flurofentanyl, as well as other substances. Medical examiners determined the decedent died from fentanyl and flurofentanyl intoxication. In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and Assistant United States Attorney Emma McArthur for her efforts in prosecuting this case.


title: Ex-Husband of ‘Real Housewives of New Jersey’ Star Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Violent Crime in Aid of Racketeering and Obstruction of Justice

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – The ex-husband of a former star of the Bravo reality television show “The Real Housewives of New Jersey,” was sentenced today to 84 months in prison for hiring, then assisting, a soldier in the Lucchese Crime Family to assault his ex-wife’s current husband, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Thomas Manzo, 59, of Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, was convicted on June 4, 2024, after a two-and-a-half week trial before Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court. The jury convicted Manzo of one count of committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering, one count of conspiracy to commit a violent crime in aid of racketeering, and one count of falsifying and concealing documents related to a federal investigation. “Whether you’re actually in the Mafia or not, hiring the mob to assault someone because of your marital problems is abhorrent. Covering up the role you played only makes it worse. The jury’s verdict, and today’s sentence, make clear that this office will spare no resources to hold accountable anyone who commits such crimes.” U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial: In the spring of 2015, Manzo, a co-owner of The Brownstone, a Paterson, New Jersey, catering hall, hired Lucchese Crime Family soldier John Perna to assault his ex-wife’s then-boyfriend, paying for the assault with a free wedding reception. Perna, a “made man” with his own crew, worked with them to carry out the assault on July 18, 2015. The Perna wedding, held in August 2015 at the Brownstone, was attended by approximately 330 people, many of whom also were members of the Lucchese Crime Family. Four years later, Manzo concealed and falsified documents related to the Perna wedding in response to a grand jury subpoena. In addition to the prison term, Judge Wigenton sentenced Manzo to three years of supervised release and ordered him immediately remanded. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado in Newark, with the investigation leading to the conviction. U.S. Attorney Sellinger also thanked special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General, Officers with the Lyndhurst Police Department, Officers with the Totowa Police Department, Investigators with the Monmouth County Prosecutors Office, Investigators of the New Jersey State Police, and the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office for their substantial assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kendall R. Randolph of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Unit, Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas S. Kearney of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Special Prosecutions Division and Bruce P. Keller, Special Counsel to the U.S. Attorney.


title: Dominican Man Indicted for Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Dominican man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after deportation. Jose De La Rosa Rosario, 50, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. De La Rosa was remanded into federal custody after previously being arrested by police on Sept. 3, 2024, and then detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Sept. 16, 2024. He will appear in federal court in Boston on a later date. According to the indictment, De La Rosa was deported from the United States on July 3, 2018. It is alleged that sometime after his July 2018 removal, De La Rosa illegally reentered the United States without permission. The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Announces Election Day Program

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – United States Attorney Dena J. King announced today that Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) Michael Savage in Charlotte, and Don Gast in Asheville, will lead the efforts of the Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSAs Michael Savage and Don Gast have been appointed to serve as District Election Officers (DEOs) for the Western District of North Carolina, and in that capacity they are responsible for overseeing the District’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. United States Attorney King said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.” 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). U.S. Attorney King stated that, “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice.” 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, AUSAs/DEOs Savage and Gast will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. AUSA Savage can be reached by the public in Charlotte at 704-344-6222, and AUSA Gast can be reached in Asheville at 828-271-4661. 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 704-672-6100. Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931. U.S. Attorney King said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. 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: Falmouth Woman Pleads Guilty to Embezzling More Than $1.3 Million

body_text: BOSTON – The former bookkeeper of a Falmouth flooring company pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $1.3 million from her employer. Susan Figuerido, 73, of Falmouth, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and filing a false tax return. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Jan. 15, 2025. Between June 2015 and February 2023, Figuerido embezzled more than $1.3 million from her employer by writing checks to herself drawn on her employer’s bank account. To conceal her scheme, Figuerido did not record the checks that she wrote to herself in her employer’s accounting system. Figuerido did not report or include the funds that she embezzled on her federal income tax filings, resulting in a tax loss of approximately $353,000. The charge of wire fraud provides a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss. The charge of filing a false tax return provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Harry T. Chavis Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. The Falmouth Police Department provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen A. Kearney of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.


component: USAO - Alabama, Northern

body_text: WASHINGTON – The Justice Department and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced today that Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation (Fairway) has agreed to pay $8 million and a $1.9 million civil money penalty to resolve allegations that it engaged in a pattern or practice of lending discrimination by redlining predominantly Black neighborhoods in and around Birmingham, Alabama. Redlining is an illegal practice by which lenders avoid providing credit services to individuals living in communities of color because of the race, color, or national origin of residents in those communities. With this settlement, the Justice Department’s Combating Redlining Initiative surpassed $150 million in relief for communities of color nationwide that have experienced lending discrimination. This settlement marks the Justice Department’s 15th redlining settlement in three years. Under the Combating Redlining Initiative, the Department has secured a historic amount of relief that is expected to generate over $1 billion in investment in communities of color in places such as Houston; Memphis; Los Angeles; Philadelphia; and Birmingham. “This settlement, and the over $150 million in relief the Justice Department has secured for communities across the country through our Combating Redlining Initiative, will help to ensure that future generations of Americans inherit a legacy of home ownership that they too often have been denied,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “This case is a reminder that redlining is not a relic of the past, and the Justice Department will continue to work urgently to combat lending discrimination wherever it arises and to secure relief for the communities harmed by it.” The Justice Department and CFPB allege that Fairway illegally redlined Black neighborhoods in Birmingham, including through its marketing and sales actions, and discouraged residents of those neighborhoods from applying for mortgage loans. The settlement announced today requires Fairway to provide $7 million for a loan subsidy program to offer affordable home purchase, refinance, and home improvement loans in Birmingham’s majority-Black neighborhoods, invest an additional $1 million in programs to support that loan subsidy fund, and pay a $1.9 million civil penalty to the CFPB’s victims relief fund. This case is the third redlining enforcement action brought jointly by the Justice Department and the CFPB under the initiative, highlighting the strong partnership between the agencies to root out and address lending discrimination. “Birmingham lies at the heart of our nation’s civil rights struggle but is also a community that bears the legacy of discriminatory redlining and other exclusionary policies,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This settlement will provide Birmingham’s Black neighborhoods with the access to credit they have long been denied and increase opportunities for homeownership and generational wealth. This settlement makes clear our intent to uproot modern-day redlining in every corner of the country, including in the deep South. With more than $150 million in total relief secured in three short years, our Combating Redlining Initiative is generating real economic opportunity for communities of color while sending a strong message to mortgage lenders, no matter their business model, that discriminatory lending will not be tolerated in America.” “The settlement reached with Fairway Mortgage is a win for communities of color here in Birmingham that have historically been denied access to vital economic resources,” said U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona for the Northern District of Alabama. “Our office is committed to ensuring that these communities have equal access to housing and credit resources.” “The CFPB and Justice Department are holding Fairway accountable for redlining Black neighborhoods,” said CFPB Director Rohit Chopra. “Fairway’s unlawful redlining discouraged families from seeking loans for homes in Birmingham’s Black neighborhoods.” Fairway is a non-depository mortgage company headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin. In 2022, Fairway was the nation’s fifth-largest lender by origination volume and ninth-largest by application volume. Fairway operates in the Birmingham area under the trade name MortgageBanc. The complaint describes how Fairway redlined majority-Black neighborhoods in the Birmingham Metropolitan Statistical Area (Birmingham MSA). During the period covered by the complaint, the Birmingham MSA included six counties in north central Alabama with a combined population of about 1.1 million. While Fairway claimed to serve the entire metropolitan area, it concentrated all its retail loan offices in majority-white areas, directed less than 3% of its direct mail advertising to consumers in majority-Black areas, and for years discouraged homeownership in majority-Black areas by generating loan applications at a rate far below its peer institutions. The Justice Department and CFPB allege that Fairway violated the Fair Housing Act, Equal Credit Opportunity Act, and Consumer Financial Protection Act. Specifically, the government alleges problematic conduct by Fairway including: Failing to address known signs of discrimination : Fairway’s own data showed that, since at least 2017, it was failing to serve majority-Black neighborhoods in the Birmingham area, but before October 2022, it took no meaningful actions to address redlining risk. Between 2018 and 2022, only 3.7% of Fairway’s applications were for properties in majority-Black areas, compared to 12.2% for Fairway’s peer lenders. In other words, Fairway’s peer lenders generated applications for properties in majority-Black areas at over three times the rate of Fairway. This disparity was even higher in neighborhoods with 80% or more Black residents, where Fairway made loans at less than one-eighth of the rate of its peer lenders. Despite these figures, Fairway failed to adopt any written plan for marketing or growth to address the concern. Redlining Black neighborhoods: From 2015 through 2022, Fairway operated three retail loan offices and three loan production desks within real estate offices in the Birmingham MSA, all of which were in majority-white areas. Fairway also relied on referrals from real estate professionals and its loan officers’ personal contacts to generate applications, and the vast majority of Fairway’s referral sources and referred consumers were located in majority-white areas. Fairway predominantly directed its marketing to majority-white areas and failed to train or incentivize its existing loan officers to better serve majority-Black areas. By taking these actions, Fairway discriminated against, and unlawfully discouraged mortgage loan applications for properties in, majority-Black neighborhoods. The proposed consent order, which awaits approval by the Federal District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, would require Fairway to: Provide $7 million for a loan subsidy program: The order would require Fairway to offer home purchase, refinance, and home improvement loans on a more affordable basis than otherwise available in majority-Black neighborhoods in the Birmingham MSA. The program may provide lower interest rates, down payment assistance, closing cost assistance, or payment of initial mortgage insurance premiums. Invest at least $1 million in redlined neighborhoods: Fairway would be required to open or acquire a new loan production office or full-service retail office in a majority-Black neighborhood in the Birmingham MSA. The company must also spend at least $500,000 on advertising and outreach, at least $250,000 on consumer financial education, and at least $250,000 on partnerships with one or more community-based or governmental organizations to serve the affected neighborhoods. Pay a $1.9 million penalty: The proposed order imposes a $1.9 million civil penalty against Fairway, which would be paid into the CFPB’s Civil Penalty Fund, also referred to as the victims’ relief fund. Information about the Justice Department’s fair lending enforcement work can be found at www.justice.gov/fairhousing . Individuals may report lending discrimination by calling the Justice Department’s housing discrimination tip line at 1-833-591-0291 or submitting a report online . Consumers can submit complaints about financial products and services by visiting the CFPB’s website or by calling (855) 411-CFPB (2372). Employees who believe their company has violated federal consumer financial protection laws are encouraged to send information about what they know to whistleblower@cfpb.gov . To learn more about reporting potential industry misconduct, visit the CFPB’s website .


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont Observes Domestic Violence Awareness Month

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont — During Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) this October, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont reaffirms our unwavering commitment to supporting survivors, raising awareness, and promoting justice for all affected by domestic violence. DVAM serves as a crucial opportunity to shed light on the profound impacts of domestic violence and emphasize the importance of collective action. Each year, millions of individuals are impacted by intimate partner violence, and far too many families endure the tragic consequences of domestic abuse. We are committed to ensuring that survivors are heard and perpetrators are held accountable and to strengthening partnerships with communities to prevent domestic violence. This year is a special year to commemorate DVAM because it is also the 30th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act. In 1994, the passage of this landmark, bipartisan legislation transformed the way our nation addresses domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking by increasing protections for survivors, providing critical federal resources to support a coordinated community response to these crimes, and awarding grants at the local, state, territory, Tribal, and national levels. “At the U.S. Attorney’s Office, we are determined to use all of our tools to combat domestic violence,” said U.S. Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest. “To that end, we work with our partners in state, county, and local law enforcement to promote the rights of domestic violence victims and to hold domestic abusers accountable. Too often in these cases, we see the intersection of domestic violence and firearms. Safe firearm storage can help prevent this dangerous intersection. One of the tools we created with our partners is www.gunsafevt.org , a website where individuals can find resources for safe firearm storage. We encourage victims and survivors and anyone who works in support of survivors to use this resource.” Domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking can have long-lasting impacts and consequences, and survivors in underserved communities are disproportionately impacted due to the lack of resources or barriers to accessing services. DVAM provides an opportunity to spread awareness about domestic violence and encourage everyone to play a role in ending gender-based violence. We also encourage everyone to learn more about domestic violence and take steps to support friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors who may be affected. By understanding the signs of abuse, providing a safe space for survivors, and connecting them to available resources, we can all play a role in creating safer communities. Victims of domestic violence deserve safety, dignity, and justice. We are committed to prosecuting those who violate federal laws, collaborating with local law enforcement and prosecutors to identify domestic violence offenders who violate federal firearms prohibitions, and ensuring survivors have access to the resources they need for safety and healing. Together, we can bring hope to those in need and build a future free from domestic violence. For more information on resources, please see a PDF version of our 2023 Vermont Victim Services Resource Guide and the mobile downloadable version at https://vtvictimresources.com/ .”


title: Tax preparer imprisoned for tax fraud resulting in over half a million in losses

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A local tax business owner has been sentenced for aiding and assisting in the preparation and filing of false income tax returns, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Krystal Wright pleaded guilty April 17. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey V. Brown has now ordered Wright to serve 24 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by one year of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay $525,404 in restitution. At the hearing, the court heard how her criminal history, the length of her scheme and the harm to the taxpayers warranted a prison sentence. In handing down that sentence, the court noted that he hoped Wright would learn from her actions. Wright was the sole owner and only tax preparer at WW2F in Freeport for six years. Most of Wright’s clients did not have a business nor did they discuss any business income or expenses with her. After Wright completed a tax return, she did not review the completed documents with clients and only provided them with the refund amount and first two pages of the return. This prevented her clients from identifying overstated or false items on their tax returns. From 2017 through 2020, Wright prepared and filed approximately 83 federal income tax returns that contained false and fraudulent items. Some included qualified solar electric property costs, gifts by cash or check, business expenses, wages, salaries, tips and supplies. The false and fraudulent filings resulted in a total sustained tax harm of $525,404. She will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rodolfo Ramirez and James Hu prosecuted the case.


title: CONVICTED FELON CHARGED WITH UNLAWFUL POSSESSION A FIREARM

component: USAO - Virgin Islands

body_text: St. Croix, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Jahmar Frederick, 31, of St. Croix, was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm after having been convicted of felony offenses. According to court documents, on May 11, 2024, Virgin Islands Police Officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop after Frederick was observed operating a Ford F-150 pickup truck with no license plate. Frederick fled from VIPD officers and ultimately lost control of his vehicle and slid off the roadway. Frederick then placed a ski-mask over his face and attempted to flee on foot but was apprehended. Officers recovered a loaded Glock Model 22 Gen4 .40 Caliber firearm after taking Frederick into custody. In 2023, Frederick was convicted of obtaining money by false pretenses, and in 2018, he was convicted of forgery, both felonies. If convicted, Frederick faces a maximum sentence of up to 15 years in prison. A district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. This case is being investigated by the Virgin Islands Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel H. Huston. This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide initiative that brings together federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and community leaders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. For more information on the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods, please see: https://www.justice.gov/psn. United States Attorney Smith reminds the public that a criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Repeat Sex Trafficker Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Traffic Four Women Using Violence and Threats

body_text: BOSTON – A Stoughton man, previously convicted of multiple counts of sex trafficking, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to sex trafficking multiple adult women. Marvin Pompilus, 39, pleaded guilty to four counts of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. Pompilus was previously arrested and charged in in November 2023 , and indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2024 . U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Jan. 23, 2025. In February 2018, Pompilus was convicted in Suffolk Superior Court of multiple counts of trafficking a person for sexual servitude and deriving support for prostitution. He was sentenced to six years in state prison and was released in October 2021. “Marvin Pompilus targeted and brutalized his victims, and this was promptly after he was released from jail following his conviction on similar state charges,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “These crimes are a violation of human dignity and human rights. Our office, along with our federal, state and local partners, are dedicating substantial resources to both protecting victims of trafficking and holding defendants accountable by prosecuting them to the fullest extent of the law. This is especially true for repeat offenders like Mr. Pompilus.” “This defendant callously picked up right where he left off when he was released from state prison, believing that he could profit by peddling drugs and misery to people suffering with substance abuse issues,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The defendant specifically targeted victims who were struggling with addiction to opioids and cocaine, coerced them into sex trafficking and cruelly exploited them because of their vulnerability. The Justice Department will continue to investigate and prosecute human traffickers who exploit for their own personal gain the most vulnerable members of society, such as those experiencing substance abuse disorders.” “Marvin Pompilus admitted today that after being released from state prison for sex trafficking, he started doing it again, targeting and exploiting four vulnerable women using violence and threats to force them to engage in commercial sex. What he did is unconscionable, and the harm he’s inflicted on these women is immeasurable,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Division. “The FBI will do everything in its power to protect trafficking victims from further harm and see the predators who so viciously abuse them brought to justice.” Following his release from state custody in October 2021, Pompilus conspired to exploit and recruit multiple women into the commercial sex trade, using a combination of physical violence, sexual violence, threats of violence, verbal abuse and withholding of controlled substances from drug dependent victims to coerce and/or force them to engage in commercial sex acts. He then collected all of the proceeds. Pompilus required his victims to check in with him, forbade them from interacting with other men, and precluded them from obtaining drugs from anyone other than him. If one of the victims attempted to keep any of the proceeds from commercial sex or attempted to refuse to see a sex buyer, Pompilus would become physically violent, at times striking the victim in the face and kicking them. Pompilus would also engage in other forms of abuse as well such as using degrading names toward his victims, spitting on them, and throwing drinks on them, as well as isolating them from others. If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov . The charge of conspiracy to sex traffic by force, fraud, or coercion provides for a sentence of up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least two years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; AAG Clarke; and FBI SAC Cohen made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Boston and Randolph Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Riley, Chief of the Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Tokash of the Justice Department’s Human Trafficking Protection Unit are prosecuting the case.


title: California Businessman Sentenced for Tax Evasion

component: Tax Division

body_text: A California man was sentenced today to 15 months in prison for evading more than $1 million of individual and corporate income taxes owed to the IRS and California Franchise Tax Board. According to court documents and statements made in court, Haim Jerry Kohen owned and operated a business that bought and sold bulk quantities of used clothing. Between 2005 and 2017, Kohen evaded his taxes by, among other things, filing false individual and corporate income tax returns with federal and state taxing authorities on which he underreported income. He also attempted to conceal this income from the IRS by diverting it from his business to himself and by dealing in cash. Kohen collected cash payments owed to his business from a significant customer and kept the cash for himself instead of depositing it into his business’ bank account. Kohen did not report the diverted cash on either the corporate tax returns or on his individual income tax returns. Kohen continued this conduct even after he became aware that he was under criminal investigation by the IRS. Additionally, in November 2013, that same customer owed Kohen’s business over $648,000. Kohen and the customer executed a promissory note where the customer agreed to repay the debt to Kohen personally, and not to his business. Kohen received payments pursuant to the note in cash and did not report them on any tax return. Over the years, Kohen also loaned money to people and did not report the interest payments he received on his personal returns. Kohen also did not report rental income from two properties he owned in Beverly Hills and Tarzana, California. Kohen bought the Beverly Hills property in 2011 and soon thereafter deeded it to close family members. However, Kohen continued to collect the rental income for the property and exercised ownership and control over it. He also did not report the rental income he received from the Tarzana property. In total, Kohen caused a tax loss to the IRS and State of California of $1,471,323. In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld, Jr. ordered Kohen to serve one year of supervised release, pay a fine of $95,000 and to pay $1,471,323 in restitution. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation’s International Tax and Financial Crimes group investigated the case. Senior Litigation Counsel Mark F. Daly and Trial Attorneys Sara E. Henderson and John C. Gerardi of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ranee Katzenstein for the Central District of California prosecuted the case.


title: Pineville Woman Sentenced to Consecutive Life Sentences in Prison for Kidnapping, Murder of Pregnant Arkansas Woman and Unborn Child

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Pineville, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court today for the kidnapping and murder of a pregnant Arkansas woman and her victim’s unborn child. Amber Waterman, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to consecutive life sentences in federal prison without parole. On July 30, 2024, Amber Waterman pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping resulting in death and one count of thereby causing the death of a child in utero. Waterman admitted that she kidnapped Ashley Bush in order to claim her unborn child, Valkyrie Willis, as her own. Waterman transported Ashley Bush from Maysville, Ark., to Pineville. The kidnapping resulted in the deaths of both Ashley Bush and Valkyrie Willis. Her husband, Jamie Waterman, 44, pleaded guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of being an accessory after the fact to the kidnapping resulting in death. Jamie Waterman admitted that he knew Amber Waterman had kidnapped Bush, causing the death of her unborn child, and provided assistance in order to hinder or prevent the apprehension, trial, and punishment of Amber Waterman. Amber Waterman, using a false name, contacted Bush, who was approximately 31 weeks pregnant, via Facebook. Amber Waterman pretended to help Bush obtain employment, suggesting she had a job opportunity for her. That prompted an in-person meeting between the two women on Oct. 28, 2022, at the Gravette, Ark., public library. They agreed to meet again on Oct. 31, 2022. On Oct. 31, 2022, at roughly 11:45 a.m., Bush met Amber Waterman at the Handi-Stop convenience store in Maysville, Ark. Under the pretext that Amber Waterman was taking her to meet a supervisor to further discuss employment, Bush got into a truck driven by Amber Waterman. Amber Waterman then kidnapped and abducted Bush, driving her from Maysville to the Waterman residence in Pineville. According to court documents, Amber Waterman led Jamie Waterman to Bush’s body. Jamie Waterman assisted in hiding and disposing of the body. At about 5 p.m. on Oct. 31, 2022, first responders reported to the Longview store in Pineville for an emergency call of a baby who was not breathing. Amber Waterman admitted that she claimed to first responders that she had given birth to the child in the truck while on the way to the hospital. But in reality, she admitted, the child was Bush’s child, who died in utero, as a result of Amber Waterman’s kidnapping that resulted in the death of Bush. An autopsy indicated that Bush died as a result of penetrating trauma of the torso and her death was classified as a homicide. Under federal statutes, Jamie Waterman is subject to a sentence of up to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie L. Wan and James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the FBI, the Benton County, Ark., Sheriff’s Department, and the McDonald County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department in conjunction with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Arkansas and the Benton County, Ark., Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.


title: Fargo, ND Man Indicted for Possession of Firearms and Ammunition by a Convicted Felon and by a Drug User or Addict, and Possession of a Firearm with an Obliterated Serial Number

component: USAO - North Dakota

body_text: Fargo – United States Attorney Mac Schneider announced that on October 15, 2024, Amire J. Logan, made his initial appearance and was arraigned in federal court. The United States District Court for the District of North Dakota unsealed an Indictment revealing that a federal grand jury indicted Logan on two counts of Possession of Firearms and Ammunition by a Convicted Felon, two counts of Possession of Firearms and Ammunition by a Drug User or Addict, and one count of Possession of a Firearm with an Obliterated Serial Number, arising from a June 24, 2024 incident in Fargo, and a September 24, 2024 incident in West Fargo. The Indictment in this case is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. 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. PSN is based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case is being investigated by the Fargo Police Department, the West Fargo Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jacob T. Rodenbiker. # # #


title: Poplar Bluff Man Sentenced to 100 Months in Prison for Selling Methamphetamine

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. on Monday sentenced a man who sold methamphetamine to an undercover officer to 100 months in prison. Rashad Marshall, 33, of Poplar Bluff, Missouri, pleaded guilty in July to one count each of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine. He admitted conspiring with Joshua E. Forbes and two others to sell methamphetamine. A member of the Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force purchased meth from the conspirators on six occasions between June and August of 2023. In May, Judge Limbaugh sentenced Forbes to 12 years in prison. He pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and three counts of distribution of methamphetamine. The Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Poplar Bluff Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Hunter is prosecuting the case.


title: District Election Officer appointed to oversee election day complaints in the Southern District of Georgia

component: USAO - Georgia, Southern

body_text: SAVANNAH, Ga.: Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney Jill E. Steinberg announced today that she has appointed a District Election Officer (DEO) to lead the efforts of the office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming Nov. 5, 2024, general election. The DEO is responsible for overseeing the district’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. U.S. Attorney Steinberg said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.” 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). U.S. Attorney Steinberg stated that, “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. 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, the DEO will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. The DEO can be reached by the public at the following telephone number, 912-201-2560, or by email at USAGAS.Election@usdoj.gov .” 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 770-216-3000. Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931. U.S. Attorney Steinberg said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. 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: Repeat Federal Offender to Federal Prison for Meth Distribution

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: Jermiah Preston, 41, from Fort Dodge, Iowa was sentenced on October 9, 2024, in federal court in Sioux City. Preston pled guilty May 22, 2024, to distribution of methamphetamine. In March 2017, Preston was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm and distributing a controlled substance in the United States District Court in Northern District of Iowa. Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that on January 23, 2023, law enforcement, utilizing a confidential informant, set-up and conducted a 1.5 ounce controlled methamphetamine transaction from Preston. During a traffic stop after the transaction, Preston was observed to throw two bags of methamphetamine out the window of the vehicle. The controlled buy money expended was found on Preston’s person and DNA came back on each bag of methamphetamine matching Preston. Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Preston was sentenced to 66 months’ imprisonment which was imposed consecutive to his 24-month sentence previously imposed on the revocation of his previous federal supervised release. Preston must also serve a term of four years of supervised release following the imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Preston remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa DCI Laboratory, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa State Patrol, and the Fort Dodge Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-3029. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


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

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Lansen Sharif Waugh, 44, of Kyle, was sentenced today to two years and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of cocaine and methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 15, 2021, Waugh sold controlled substances that contained cocaine and methamphetamine to a confidential informant at a residence in Kyle where Waugh was staying. Waugh admitted to the transaction and further admitted to selling cocaine and a controlled substance containing heroin and fentanyl to the confidential informant on two other occasions. On July 2, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Waugh’s residence in Kyle and found two firearms and additional quantities of cocaine. Waugh admitted that he intended to distribute the cocaine found during the search. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force. The task force consists of members of the West Virginia State Police, the Bluefield Police Department, the Princeton Police Department, the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department, the McDowell County Sheriff’s Department, and the Wyoming County Sheriff’s Department. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-121. ###


title: Hull, Iowa Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for  Meth Distribution and Illegal Firearm Possession

body_text: Victor Perez-Martinez, 24, from Hull, Iowa was sentenced on October 11, 2024, in federal court in Sioux City. Perez-Martinez pled guilty May 24, 2024, to seven counts, which included conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, four counts of distribution of methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that Perez-Martinez was involved in the distribution of sizable quantities of pure methamphetamine during four controlled drug purchases with law enforcement, some within 1000 feet of a protected location (totaling more than 264 grams of methamphetamine). In October 2023, during a search warrant executed at Perez-Martinez’s residence, law enforcement seized: 329 grams of methamphetamine, two cellular telephones; various items of drug use and distribution paraphernalia; $4,267 in cash, and a .380 ACP pistol. Evidence also showed that Perez-Martinez was involved in a conspiracy that distributed over 500 grams of methamphetamine to a number of individuals in the Spencer and Orange City, Iowa area. Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Perez-Martinez was sentenced to 144 months’ imprisonment and must serve a term of ten years of supervised release following the imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Perez-Martinez remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa DCI Laboratory, Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Spencer, Iowa Police Department, and the Iowa State Patrol. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-4067. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Mason City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person and Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance

body_text: A man who possessed a firearm as a prohibited person and possessed methamphetamine with the intent to distribute was sentenced October 11, 2024, to more than 8 years in federal prison. Tirrell Harlan Hopkins, Jr., age 24, from Mason City, Iowa, received the prison term after a plea on May 3, 2024, to one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. At the plea hearing Hopkins admitted that on November 18, 2023, in Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, he knowingly possessed a firearm, a Springfield Armory, Model: Saint, Caliber: 2.33 NATO, Type: Pistol. At the time, Hopkins possessed the gun, he knew he was a user of illegal drugs, had been convicted of a felony, and convicted of a crime of domestic violence, all of which prohibited him from legally possessing a gun. Hopkins also admitted that on or about November 18, 2023, in the Northern District of Iowa, he was in possession of methamphetamine, and intended to distribute some or all of the methamphetamine to another person. Hopkins was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Hopkins was sentenced to 98 months. He must also serve a 6-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. Hopkins is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Fletcher and was investigated by the Mason City Police Department, Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Patrol, Cerro Gordo County Attorney’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations Laboratory, and the United States Marshal’s Service. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-CR-03008. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Haverhill Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – A Haverhill man has been sentenced in federal court in Boston for his role in a North Shore-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) that allegedly distributed tens of thousands of counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine. David Delauri, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Dennis F. Saylor IV to 102 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release. In July 2024 Delauri pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; aiding and abetting; one count of possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine; and aiding and abetting. According to court documents, the DTO distributed counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, among other things, to various individuals in the Lynn area. On May 10, 2022, Delauri allegedly arranged to acquire nearly 600 counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine from co-defendant Lawrence Michael Nagle. Delauri immediately distributed the pills to co-defendant Savannah Bartone. Bartone was subsequently stopped by police, who seized the pills. Bartone pleaded guilty in November 2023 and is pending sentencing. Lawrence Michael Nagle has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled for trial on Jan. 6, 2024. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; and Geoffrey Noble, Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Beverly, Everett, Peabody, Revere, Salem, Saugus and Swampscott Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan D. Panich of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf . The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: North Carolina Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Prison for Federal Drug Crime

body_text: BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Keith Deshon Adams, 39, of Statesville, North Carolina, was sentenced today to 13 years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 7, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in Oak Hill in which Adams was a passenger. Adams admitted that he tried to flee on foot after he was asked to exit the vehicle and stand at the front of an officer’s cruiser. An officer deployed a taser to stop Adams. While struggling with the officer, Adams opened a cross-body bag he was wearing and retrieved a plastic baggy containing fentanyl powder from it. Adams tore open the bag, causing the fentanyl to spill out of the bag and onto the officer’s clothing, face and mouth. The officer ingested some of the fentanyl and began suffering an apparent overdose. Other officers secured Adams. A second officer suffered an apparent overdose after ingesting some of the spilled fentanyl. Both officers were taken to the hospital and treated with naloxone. Adams admitted that the cross-body bag contained controlled substances including methamphetamine, fentanyl and tablets containing methamphetamine and ecstasy. Adams has a long criminal history with prior convictions for such offenses as unlawful transport of firearms, possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and failure to register as a sex offender. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Oak Hill Police Department, the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-152. ###


title: Syracuse Man Sentenced to 84 Months in Federal Prison for Drug and Firearm Crimes

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Anthony Beverly, age 34, of Syracuse, was sentenced today to serve 84 months in federal prison following his convictions for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person (convicted felon). United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Joseph L. Cecile, Chief of the Syracuse Police Department (SPD), made the announcement. As part of his previous guilty plea, Beverly admitted that on October 26, 2023, he knowingly possessed in his Onondaga County apartment three pistols, extended ammunition magazines, and approximately 615 rounds of ammunition of various calibers. Beverly further admitted that when he possessed the firearms and ammunition, he knew that he had previously been convicted of a felony. Specifically, in 2015 he was sentenced in Onondaga County Court to 2 to 6 years’ imprisonment as a result of his conviction of possession of a forged instrument in the first degree. Beverly further admitted that in his apartment he possessed various controlled substances which he intended to distribute to others, including cocaine base, powder cocaine, N,N-Dimethylpentylone (sold as “molly”), fentanyl, and methamphetamine. Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes also imposed a 3-year term of supervised release to follow his term of imprisonment. The FBI and Syracuse Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. McCrobie prosecuted the case as 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: Ex-Smyrna Detective Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Exploitation Charge

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that Michael Kealty, a former detective with the Smyrna Police Department, pleaded guilty today to coercing and enticing a minor to engage in illicit sexual activity. The Honorable U.S. District Judge Richard G. Andrews accepted the plea. Kealty pleaded guilty to Coercion/Enticement of a Minor. He will be sentenced on February 12, 2025, at 10 a.m. and faces a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison, and a maximum term of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, “As a police officer, Mr. Kealty took an oath to protect and serve. Instead of honoring that oath, he chose to prey upon the most vulnerable members of our community. Prosecuting these child exploitation cases will remain a priority for my office, and I commend the FBI’s diligence in investigating this case.” “Michael Kealty’s actions reveal a calculating and dangerous criminal. He repeatedly sought opportunities to target vulnerable minors and was committing the very crimes he was sworn to investigate as a police detective. Pursuing justice for victims of child exploitation is one of the FBI’s highest priorities,” says Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office. “FBI Baltimore's Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force will continue to work with our partners to investigate these horrific acts and bring those responsible to justice.” This case was investigated by the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Briana Knox is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER .


title: Massachusetts Man Sentenced to Two Years for Stealing U.S. Postage Stamps Using Fraudulent Checks, and an Additional 20 Months for Violating His Conditions of Supervised Release

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – William Soto, age 32, of Springfield, Massachusetts, was sentenced to serve 24 months in federal prison following his conviction for twelve (12) counts of theft of government property, United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) announced. As part of his previous guilty plea, Soto admitted that, while on supervised release for a 2021 federal conviction for distributing controlled substances, he used fraudulent checks to purchase more than $30,000 worth of United States Postal Service postage stamps over the course of two days in Oneida County, Oswego County, and Onondaga County in August 2023. Soto stole stamps from 12 different Post Offices, and, in one instance, he bought $9,438.00 in stamps from a post office in Oswego County using a fake check. United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also ordered that Soto pay $31,101.84 in restitution to the United States Postal Service, be subject to a forfeiture judgement in the amount of $31,101.84, and to serve a three-year term of post-incarceration supervised release. In addition to the 24-month prison sentence, Soto was also sentenced to a consecutive 20-month term of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his supervised release from his prior offense. The United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) investigated the case with assistance from the Fulton Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Tuck prosecuted the case.


title: Baldwinsville Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a Child and Distribution and Receipt of Child Pornography

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Kenneth Koegel, Jr., age 40, of Baldwinsville, New York pled guilty today to seven (7) counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Child, one count of Commission of a Felony Offense Involving a Minor by a Registered Sex Offender, one count of Distribution of Child Pornography, and one count of Receipt of Child Pornography. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) made the announcement. As part of his guilty plea today, Koegel admitted that he was previously convicted in 2004 in Monroe County (New York) Court of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree for exposing his penis to a 6-year-old girl in a public park and touching her vagina with his hand, and that he was required to register as a sex offender because of that conviction. He further admitted that starting in or about 2014 and continuing until October 2022, he sexually abused a girl from the time she was approximately 2 years old until she was approximately 9 years old. During that time, Koegel created numerous sexually explicit images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of his victim, including Koegel subjecting her to multiple sex acts. He also used a social messaging application to distribute the material he produced to someone else, with whom he also traded thousands of other child pornography files. Sentencing is scheduled for March 5, 2025, before United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby. If the Court accepts the parties’ agreed-upon disposition, Koegel will be sentenced to serve between 35 and 50-years imprisonment, with a lifetime term of supervised release to follow. Koegel also will have to pay restitution to the victim of his exploitation and to the victims in whose depictions he trafficked. He also will continue to be required to register as a sex offender upon release. The case was investigated by the FBI’s Albany Division Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force – comprised of FBI Special Agents, and state and local police investigators, including from the New York State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael D. Gadarian and Adrian S. LaRochelle as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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: Kanawha County Man Sentenced to Prison for Child Pornography Crime

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Jerry Dewayne Carroll, 43, of Crown Hill, was sentenced today to seven years in prison, to be followed by 20 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $15,000 in restitution for possession of prepubescent child pornography. Carroll must also register as a sex offender. According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about April 10, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant for Carroll’s person and seized his cell phone. A search of Carroll’s cell phone revealed 2,087 images of child pornography, including images depicting the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers by adult men and through the use of animals. A search of Carroll’s encrypted cloud storage account held by Mega Ltd., accessible through his seized cell phone, revealed an additional 82 videos of child pornography. The videos include footage of the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers, bestiality, and sadomasochistic material. The images and videos possessed by Carroll depict 56 known child victims. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Holly Wilson and Josh Hanks prosecuted the case. This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and 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 Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-122. ###


title: United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Alabama Provides  Stand Against Firearm Endangerment (SAFE) Student Pledge to Schools

component: USAO - Alabama, Middle

body_text: MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced that this week the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Alabama is working with schools across the district to encourage students to participate in the Stand Against Firearm Endangerment (SAFE) Student Pledge. With a focus on keeping schools and communities safe, students in middle school and high school are signing a voluntary pledge promising that they will assume that any gun they see might be loaded, they will never take a gun to school, they will never resolve a dispute with a gun, and they will use their influence to prevent friends from using guns to resolve disputes. Elementary school children are making a similar commitment—pledging that they will not play with a gun and that, if they see a gun, they will not touch it and they will tell a teacher or a trusted adult. Students are making the SAFE Student Pledge this week in conjunction with the National Day of Concern for Young People and Gun Violence, which will be observed on October 16, 2024. The SAFE Student Pledge recognizes the role young people play in reducing gun endangerment and violence by making responsible decisions. The pledge also seeks to foster discussions among students and their families about the necessity of gun safety and non-violent ways to resolve disputes. Nearly 30 schools are participating in the SAFE Student Pledge this week, with over 10,000 students expected to take the pledge. Participating schools are located in a variety of counties within the Middle District of Alabama, including Chambers, Chilton, Coffee, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Geneva, Lee, Lowndes, Macon, Montgomery, Pike, and Russell. Schools or youth organizations may also participate in the SAFE Student Pledge throughout the year by visiting www.justice.gov/usao-mdal/safe-student-pledge and submitting a request. The SAFE Student Pledge initiative is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a national program that has been historically successful in bringing together law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.


title: Ringleader Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Key Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking Organization

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Derrell Cashawn Massey, also known as “Rell” and “Fat Rell,” 34, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to 20 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Massey admitted to a leading role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Southern District of West Virginia. According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 3, 2023, Massey distributed approximately 1 pound of methamphetamine to a confidential informant at a Ninth Street residence in Huntington where Massey was living. The confidential informant had called Massey beforehand to arrange the transaction, agreeing to pay $2,000 in exchange for the methamphetamine. Massey admitted to the transaction and further admitted to participating in the DTO from at least November 2022 through November 2023. Massey’s participation included arranging for quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl to be transported from Detroit and other areas to Huntington for distribution. Massey also distributed at least 30 pounds of methamphetamine to a specific customer in Nitro, West Virginia, and directed other individuals to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl to various customers. Massey admitted that he aided and abetted the distribution of a total of 8.6 pounds of methamphetamine on 10 separate occasions between February 27, 2023, and September 7, 2023. Massey and other DTO participants used multiple residences to store and distribute quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl, including Massey’s Ninth Avenue residence in Huntington. On September 12, 2023, law enforcement officers seized six 9mm semiautomatic pistols at Massey’s Ninth Avenue residence. Massey is among 27 individuals indicted in a 53-count indictment that charges the defendants with distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl transported from Detroit, Michigan, in Huntington and other locations within the Southern District of West Virginia. Massey is also among 21 defendants who have pleaded guilty in the main case. One other of the 27 indicted individuals pleaded guilty to a related offense in a separate case. The indictment against the remaining defendants is pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Stephanie Taylor prosecuted the case. The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-180. ###