title: Readout of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime Reduction Steering Committee Meeting

component: Office of the Deputy Attorney General

body_text: The Justice Department’s Violent Crime Reduction Steering Committee met last week to discuss the efforts, challenges, and successes in reducing violent crime — as well as how the Department can further the steady, continued decline in violent crime in 2024. The Steering Committee is chaired by Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General (PADAG) Marshall Miller and composed of leadership and representatives from across the Department. After PADAG Miller called the meeting to order, the Committee was briefed on the latest violent-crime statistics. Preliminary data from 88 cities showed that violent crime has continued to decline considerably in 2024, including a 16.9% decline in murder, a 7.5% decrease in rape, a 3.4% decrease in aggravated assault, and a 5.2% decline in robbery. The Committee received updates from U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger for the District of Minnesota on the various initiatives employed by members of the U.S. Attorney community to crack down in violent crime during the summer months, when violent crime historically surges. These initiatives, employed by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country, included such efforts as: increased outreach and intervention activities; weekly, data-driven coordination with local law enforcement to identify shooters and other drivers of violent crime for federal prosecution; surges in federal firearms prosecutions; increased focus on prosecution for possession or use of machinegun conversion devices, which convert semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic machineguns; launch and implementation of carjacking task forces; and partnerships with the Department’s Criminal Division to bring prosecutions under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. Early data showed successful outcomes from initiatives that included, for example, further year-over-year reductions in homicides in Detroit and a zeroing out of carjackings in the Eastern District of Texas during the summer months of 2024. The Committee was briefed by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Marshals Service on their efforts and successes in combating violent crime over the summer through Operation Overdrive and Operation North Star, respectively, and from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives regarding the Department’s convening with the additive manufacturing industry on how to reduce the availability and use of unlawful machinegun conversion devices, which was held Friday and included remarks from the Deputy Attorney General . The Committee also heard from the Department’s grantmaking components regarding grants and additional resources to combat violent crime. The Office of Justice Programs discussed its use of grants, training, and technical assistance to assist state, local, and Tribal justice agencies in addressing their communities’ specific public safety needs. After previewing plans to observe the upcoming 30th anniversary of the Violence against Women Act, the Office of Violence Against Women briefed the Committee on its work at the intersection of firearms and domestic violence and on an important resource for prosecutors, the Framework for Prosecutors to Strengthen Our National Response to Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence Involving Adult Victims . The Department’s Community Oriented Policing Services discussed additional grants and resources available for combatting violent crime, including the award of grants to local law enforcement to hire career law enforcement officers. At the conclusion of the meeting, Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General Miller discussed a new directive from the Deputy Attorney General on combating machinegun conversion devices. He also indicated that the Steering Committee’s work would be reported to Department leadership, including developments from the Department’s violent crime reduction initiatives and recommendations regarding additional policy and enforcement strategies.


title: Interstate Drug-Trafficker Sentenced To 180 Months In Prison

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: MARQUETTE, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Bradley Scott Heard, 46, of Havre, Montana, and Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Robert J. Jonker to 180 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Heard’s co-defendant, Davell Blackman, 45, of Chicago Heights, Illinois, was previously sentenced to 60 months in prison. “My office is committed to disrupting drug trafficking rings pushing poison into our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten . “We will continue to collaborate with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners in the U.P. and across the District to hold traffickers accountable and keep illegal drugs off of our streets.” In June 2023, members of the Michigan State Police Traffic Safety Team, in collaboration with the Upper Peninsula Substance Enforcement Team (UPSET), stopped Heard, Blackman, and a passenger as they drove through Menominee County. During a search of the vehicle, investigators found approximately a pound of high-purity methamphetamine that Heard intended to distribute. “UPSET is dedicated to stopping interstate drug-traffickers whenever they come into the Upper Peninsula,” said Detective Sergeant Matt LaBonte, Interim Commander of the Upper Peninsula Substance Enforcement Team . “We will continue to work closely with our federal and local partners to ensure that individuals like Bradley Heard are brought to justice.” Heard has a decades-long criminal history that includes previous convictions for selling cocaine base, possessing marijuana with intent to distribute, and other drug crimes. He also has a history of violence, including a conviction for armed robbery and aggravated criminal sexual abuse. The Upper Peninsula Substance Enforcement Team, Michigan State Police Traffic Safety Team, and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob S. Metoxen and Ted Greeley prosecuted the case. ###


title: Madison Man Sentenced to 7 Years for Fentanyl Trafficking and Illegal Gun Possession

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Davonte F. King, 29, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced on September 5, 2024, by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to a total of 7 years in federal prison for possessing fentanyl intended for distribution and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The prison term will be followed by 6 years of supervised release. King pleaded guilty to these charges on June 27, 2024. In October and November 2022, King was intercepted over a wiretap speaking with the leader of a drug trafficking organization in Madison who was selling cocaine and fentanyl pills which were designed to appear like commercially manufactured oxycodone pills. King was often ordering hundreds of fentanyl pills at a time and was believed to be distributing them in the Madison area. On October 19, 2022, King and the drug source set up a deal for fentanyl pills. After they met in Madison, a Madison Police Department officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop on King’s vehicle, but he fled at a high rate of speed in a residential area and got away. After the flight, King called the drug source and said he could not stop because he was a felon with a firearm. On November 17, 2022, King was again intercepted setting up a deal with his drug source for 100 fentanyl pills. Officers observed King enter the drug source’s business and exit after a short time. The vehicle King was in then stopped at a grocery store parking lot where two people made brief contact with the vehicle consistent with drug deals. The vehicle was pulled over shortly after leaving the parking lot. King was ultimately arrested, and a search of his person revealed baggies with fentanyl pills and cocaine, $1,383 in cash, and drug trafficking paraphernalia including multiple baggies and small rubber bands. During a search of the vehicle, law enforcement located a Taurus 9mm handgun under the front passenger seat where King had been seated. The Taurus was loaded with a bullet in the chamber. King is prohibited from legally possessing firearms and ammunition because of a prior felony conviction. At the time of these events, King was on state supervision for a 2016 second degree reckless endangering safety conviction and a 2021 domestic battery conviction. King’s supervision has since been revoked and he is currently serving a 25-month state prison revocation sentence. Judge Peterson ordered that the federal sentence run consecutive to the remainder of the revocation sentence. At sentencing, Judge Peterson said that this case involved a serious drug trafficking offense, as cheap fentanyl pills are flooding into communities. Judge Peterson also found King’s history of firearms possession and violence to be aggravating factors. The charges against King were the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, IRS Criminal Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and Dane County Narcotics Task Force. The investigation was conducted and funded by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a multi-agency task force that coordinates long-term narcotics trafficking investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case. This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Marion County Man Pleads Guilty To Attempting To Entice A Minor To Engage In Sexual Activity

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Joseph Raymond Morin (51, Ocala) has pleaded guilty to attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. Morin faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to the plea agreement, between May 3 and June 26, 2024, Morin communicated online with someone whom he believed was a 13-year-old girl. The child, however, was an undercover Homeland Security Investigations special agent. Morin engaged in a sexually explicit conversation with the undercover agent. Ultimately, Morin was arrested when he traveled to a pre-determined meeting location in Marion County to meet with the fictious minor to engage in sexual activity. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Man Arrested and Charged with Stealing Benefits from Low-Income Families

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – September 6, 2024 SAN DIEGO –Andrei Bogdan Arteni of Romania appeared in federal court in Los Angeles today to face charges in the Southern District of California that he conspired to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars in public-assistance benefits from low-income families that need the funds to pay for food, housing and other necessities. He was ordered detained and will appear in federal court in San Diego for his next hearing. Arteni was arrested in Santa Ana yesterday in connection with the thefts, which resulted in losses exceeding $580,000. According to the complaint, between October 2023 and March 2024, he and co-conspirators installed skimming devices at point-of-sale terminals in grocery stores and large-volume retailers in communities with higher concentrations of public benefit recipients. The data skimmed from government-issued benefit cards, known as EBT (electronic benefit transfer) cards, was then re-encoded onto the magnetic strips of fraudulent cards that they used to make tens of thousands of dollars in unauthorized ATM withdrawals over the course of several months. Also yesterday, authorities served court-authorized search warrants at two storage units in National City and Newport Beach, and Romanian authorities served warrants on 10 residences across Romania. U.S. federal authorities seized more than $550,000 in cash, jewelry, and skimming devices. Romanian authorities seized two properties in the cities of Iași and Podu Iloaiei, along with more than $190,000 and €200,000 cash. “Stealing public assistance funds from those who need it most takes greed to a new depth,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “With this case, we are enforcing laws designed to protect the security of electronic payment devices and ensure public confidence in everyday transactions.” “EBT fraud is especially devastating as it targets our most vulnerable community members and can cause extreme financial hardship,” said Jason Reynolds, the Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s San Diego Field Office. “The U.S. Secret Service, and our partners remain committed to investigating these crimes so that those receiving these benefits do not have to worry about their benefits being stolen.” “Homeland Security Investigations is dedicated to working with our foreign law enforcement partners to disrupt and dismantle trans-national fraud groups who victimize U.S. banking institutions and government programs for their financial benefit,” said HSI Los Angeles Special Agent in Charge Eddy Wang. “This case is an example of how HSI will go to great lengths to bring those who perpetrate these crimes to justice.” According to court documents, Arteni and his co-conspirators used false identities to rent out an Airbnb, a storage unit in Newport Beach, and a storage unit in National City. The storage unit in Newport Beach stored several household appliances with cash concealed inside—some of which were shipped to Romania. According to the complaint, the brothers were linked to the crimes through surveillance photos at ATMs in San Diego County where they made fraudulent withdrawals. Victims are located throughout Southern California, including San Diego, Los Angeles and Riverside. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ronald Sou and David Kete. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, the National City Police Department, and Romanian authorities, including Romania Public Ministry Prosecutor’s Office of DIICOT – Galați Territorial Service, Galați and Iași Police-Organized Crime Brigades. If you or someone you know has had your EBT benefits stolen, San Diego County’s Department of Health & Human Services Agency requires that the theft be reported within 10 days. More information for San Diego County victims is available at: https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/hhsa/programs/ssp/ebt_fraud.html. DEFENDANT Case Number 24MJ1934 Andrei Bogdan Arteni 35 Santa Ana SUMMARY OF CHARGES Title 18, U.S.C. §§1029(a)(2), (b)(1), and (c)(1)(A)(i) – Use and Attempted Use of Unauthorized Access Devices Maximum Penalty: Ten years in prison, $250,000 fine Title 18, U.S.C. §1029(a)(2), (b)(2), and (c)(1)(A)(i) – Access Device Conspiracy Maximum Penalty: Ten years in prison, $250,000 fine Title 18, U.S.C. §§ 982(a)(2)(B) and 1029(c)(1)(C) – Criminal Forfeiture INVESTIGATING AGENCIES Homeland Security Investigations, Los Angeles United States Secret Service, San Diego *The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Federal Jury Convicts Wayne County Methamphetamine Trafficker

body_text: NEW BERN, N.C. – A federal jury convicted a Goldsboro man on three charges of trafficking methamphetamine. Tamarcus Shaquan Ellis, age 34, faces up to life in prison when sentenced in December. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) were investigating Ellis as part of an operation targeting crystal methamphetamine dealers operating in Goldsboro and Jacksonville in early 2021. By late March 2021, the ATF had arrested a number of high-level methamphetamine traffickers and began targeting Ellis’ drug trafficking organization. Over the course of multiple months in the Spring of 2021, investigators used a confidential source to make controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Ellis’ organization. Due to the number of takedowns of other methamphetamine traffickers in February and March of 2021, Ellis went to great lengths to avoid direct involvement in the drug transactions. In addition to counter-surveilling buy locations for law enforcement presence, Ellis also made last minute changes to the buy location in order to limit the risk of detection. Ellis also used low-level underlings in his organization to deliver the drugs while he monitored the drug deal from nearby. The underlings testified at trial that Ellis supplied them with drugs for the delivery to the confidential source. Ellis was convicted of a conspiracy to distribute and posses with the intent to distribute fifty (50) grams or more of methamphetamine and two counts of distributing five (5) grams of or more of methamphetamine. This investigation was an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan accepted the verdict. The ATF and ATF Task Force Officers from the Goldsboro Police Department and the Jacksonville Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nick Hartigan and Dennis Duffy prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No.5:21-CR-273-FL.


title: Federal Judge Sentences Cross Country Sex-Traffickers to 14 and 30 Years in Prison

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – A U.S. District Judge sentenced Xavier Latrell Smith, 34, to 360 months’ imprisonment and his co-defendant Jayla Denice Welch, 22, to 170 months’ imprisonment, for sex trafficking a minor from Texas to Louisiana to Florida. In March, Smith and Welch, who are both from Texas, were convicted by a federal jury of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, sex trafficking of a minor, transporting a minor to engage in sexual activity, and coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. In addition, Smith was convicted of two counts of commission of a sex offense by a registered sex offender. Smith, a registered sex offender, and Welch lured the minor victim to engage in sexual acts with false promises of a better life. Smith and Welch then posted commercial sex ads of the minor victim online as they travelled with the victim from Texas to Louisiana to Florida, where she was trafficked and engaged in prostitution. Smith and Welch collected the money the victim received from the unlawful sexual acts. The minor victim was rescued from a hotel room reserved and paid for by Smith and occupied by Welch and the minor victim. Smith’s cellular device rang when agents called the TextNow number associated with the minor victim’s commercial sex ads. After the minor victim was rescued, law enforcement reviewed Smith and Welch’s phones and recovered records of them photographing, posting and maintaining the commercial sex ads of the minor victim in six different cities. Welch and Smith both paid for and reserved hotel rooms that the minor victim used for the illegal sexual activity with the commercial sex customers. Smith was sentenced on Aug. 23. Welch was sentenced on June 21. A restitution hearing is scheduled for Smith on Sept. 27. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of FBI, Miami Field Office, and Director Stephanie V. Daniels of the Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD) made the announcement. This case was investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, in partnership with MDPD’s Human Trafficking Squad, and the South Florida Human Trafficking Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Abbie D. Waxman, Bertila Lilia Fernandez, and Arielle Klepach prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eloisa Fernandez is handling asset forfeiture. To report suspected human trafficking or to obtain resources for victims, please call 1-888-373-7888; text “BeFree” (233733), or live chat at HumanTraffickingHotline.org . The toll-free phone, SMS text lines, and online chat function are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Help is available in English, Spanish, Creole, or in more than 200 additional languages. The National Hotline is not managed by law enforcement, immigration or an investigative agency. Correspondence with the National Hotline is confidential and you may request assistance or report a tip anonymously. To learn more about the hotline, visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org . To learn more about the U.S. Department of Justice’s efforts to combat human trafficking visit www.justice.gov/humantrafficking . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 23-cr-20122. ###


title: Mineral County Man Sentenced for Fentanyl Charge

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Shawn Douglas Oates, 30, of Burlington, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 110 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, Oates’ residence was searched and officers seized nearly 70 grams of fentanyl. Oates has prior drug and theft convictions. Oates will be on three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Kane prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. The task force consists of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the West Virginia State Police, the Hampshire County Sheriff’s Office, the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office, the Hardy County Sheriff’s Office, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, and the Keyser Police Department. U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.


title: Former Prosecutor Sentenced to Over 15 Years in Prison for Producing Child Pornography

body_text: MIAMI – A U.S. District Judge sentenced William Power McCaughan, Jr., a Miami attorney and former prosecutor, to 190 months’ imprisonment following his plea of guilty to one count of production of child sexual abuse material. According to the agreed upon factual proffer in support of McCaughan, Jr.’s guilty plea in May, over a course of years McCaughan, Jr. chatted with others using the Kik application regarding child sexual abuse material. Specifically, McCaughan, Jr. chatted with another individual and received a video of that individual’s 11-year-old niece fully nude while exiting the shower. Also, McCaughan, Jr. chatted with at least two minor victims regarding sexual acts. McCaughan, Jr. asked one minor victim for sexually explicit images, even telling the minor victim how to position himself and what parts of his adolescent body to capture in the image. McCaughan, Jr. was sentenced on Aug. 28. A restitution hearing is scheduled for Nov. 19. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement. This case was investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Abbie D. Waxman and Lauren Astigarraga-Little prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx Calderon is handling asset forfeiture. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about the PSC initiative and for information regarding Internet safety, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . Anyone with information regarding suspected child abuse, exploitation and sextortion is encouraged to call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 23-cr-20325. ###


title: Justice Department Sues Maine for Violating the Americans with Disabilities Act

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department sued the State of Maine today for unnecessarily segregating children with behavioral health disabilities in hospitals, residential facilities and a state-operated juvenile detention facility in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Supreme Court’s decision in Olmstead v. L.C . The department previously notified Maine of its findings of civil rights violations in a June 2022 letter to Maine. The letter identified steps that Maine should take to remedy the violations. “The State of Maine has an obligation to protect its residents, including children with behavioral health disabilities, and such children should not be confined to facilities away from their families and community resources,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division is committed to ensuring that people with disabilities can get the services they need to remain at home with their families and loved ones, in their communities.” “Families across Maine must be able to access to local community-based services for their children with behavioral health disabilities,” said U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee for the District of Maine. “The alleged violations identified by the Justice Department must be remedied so that these children and their families can obtain services in their own communities, as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act.” The ADA and the Olmstead decision require state and local governments to ensure the services they provide for children with disabilities are available in the most integrated setting appropriate to each child’s needs. These services can include assistance with daily activities, behavior management and individual or family counseling. Community-based behavioral health services also include crisis services that can help prevent a child from being institutionalized during a mental health crisis. Absent these services, Maine children with disabilities enter emergency rooms, come into contact with law enforcement and remain in institutions when they could remain with their families if Maine provided them sufficient community-based services. The lawsuit alleges that Maine administers its system in a way that limits behavioral health services in the community. As a result, Maine children must enter in- and out-of-state facilities, or even the state-operated juvenile detention facility, Long Creek Youth Development Center, to receive behavioral health services. Others are at serious risk of entering these facilities, as their families struggle to keep them home despite the lack of necessary services. The Civil Rights Division’s Disability Rights Section investigated this case with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine. For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit www.ada.gov/topics/community-integration/ . For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt . The letter of findings can be viewed here .


title: Eight Defendants Plead Guilty  in Federal Pandemic Unemployment Benefit Scheme

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: ABINGDON, Va. – Eight defendants indicted in May 2024 for conspiring to defraud the United States, commit program fraud, and commit mail fraud in connection to a scheme involving the filing of fraudulent claims for pandemic unemployment benefits entered guilty pleas recently. Brian Edward Addair, Clinton Michael Altizer, Cara Camille Bailey, Jeramy Blake Farmer, Joseph Frederick Hass, Daniel Wayne Horton, Jessica Dawn Lester, and Terrance Brooks Vilacha entered guilty pleas to one count of conspiring to defraud the United States in connection with emergency benefits. According to court documents, between March 2020 and September 2021, these defendants conspired to file fraudulent claims and recertifications for pandemic unemployment benefits via the Virginia Employment Commission website while they were incarcerated in jails throughout the Western District of Virginia and, due to their incarceration status, were ineligible for pandemic unemployment benefits. In total, among the 17 defendants charged in this conspiracy, the Virginia Employment Commission paid out $341,205 in pandemic relief benefits to ineligible persons. Addair, Altizer, Bailey, Farmer, Hass, Horton, Lester, and Vilacha are scheduled for sentencing on January 9, 2025, and face up to five years in federal prison. The remaining defendants are scheduled for guilty plea hearings or trial in fall 2024. United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh, Brian D. Miller, Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery, and Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares made the announcement. As part of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Task Force, this investigation was conducted by the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery. The PRAC’s 20 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending. Agencies that assisted with this investigation included the Dickenson County Sheriff’s Office, the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail Authority, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Labor, and the Virginia Employment Commission. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Suzanne Kerney-Quillen, a Senior Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Major Crimes and Emerging Threats Section, and Assistant United States Attorney Danielle Stone are prosecuting the case for the United States.


title: Former New York City Department of Education CEO of School Support Services and Three Business Owners Sentenced to Prison for Corruption and Bribery

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Eric Goldstein, the former Chief Executive Officer of the New York City Department of Education’s (NYC DOE) Office of School Support Services, and Blaine Iler, Michael Turley and Brian Twomey, the owners of SOMMA Food Group (SOMMA), were sentenced by U.S. Circuit Judge Denny Chin sitting by designation to prison terms for multiple counts of bribery and bribery conspiracy relating to programs receiving federal funds. Goldstein was sentenced to 2 years, Iler to 12 months and a day along with a $10,000 fine, Turley to 15 months, and Twomey to 15 months and a $10,000 fine. The four defendants were convicted by a federal jury in June 2023 following a four-week trial. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Christie M. Curtis, Acting Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the sentences. “Eric Goldstein corruptly abused his high-ranking position of trust as a public official and pursued lucrative bribes at the expense of school children, many of whom rely on healthy meals provided by the New York City Department of Education,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Great responsibility came with overseeing the school system’s food operations, but shamefully, Goldstein prioritized lining his pockets with payoffs from his co-defendants to ensure the DOE purchased their products and that their food stayed in the schools even after plastic, bones and metal were found in the chicken served to schoolchildren and teachers. Today’s jail sentences should serve as a lesson to these defendants and others that public corruption, especially acts that jeopardize the well-being of our children, will be punished.” FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Curtis stated: “Eric Goldstein abused his position as the DOE Chief Executive Officer of Office of School Support Services to accept nearly $100,000 in bribes from co-defendants to knowingly serve unfit lunch choices for consumption to students and teachers. Goldstein ignored numerous complaints from the school and valued personal profits over the wellbeing of our city’s schoolchildren, allowing them to ingest plastic and other inedible items. May today’s sentencing reiterate the FBI’s continued determination to target any public official who prioritizes illicit financial compensation over the health of our city.” In 2015 and 2016, Iler, Turley and Twomey entered into a corrupt arrangement with Goldstein, whereby SOMMA would provide the capital to a business named Range Meats Supply Co. (RMSCO). Specifically, over a period of 14 months, Iler, Turley and Twomey transferred approximately $96,670 to RMSCO for Goldstein’s benefit, including payments to Goldstein’s divorce attorney and father. In exchange, Goldstein, who served as the CEO of the NYC DOE’s Office of Food and Nutrition Services (SchoolFood), used his position to ensure that the NYC DOE purchased and served SOMMA’s products to thousands of schoolchildren, including chicken tenders that were found to contain foreign objects, including plastic. Goldstein also made sure that SchoolFood’s approval of SOMMA’s products was expedited and that disputes between SOMMA and the NYC DOE were resolved in SOMMA’s favor. The largest bribe payment was made in the fall of 2016, when SchoolFood had stopped serving SOMMA’s chicken tenders because a NYC DOE employee choked on a bone that had not been removed from a SOMMA chicken tender. Goldstein, who, as CEO, had final approval as to whether and when SOMMA’s chicken tenders would be allowed back in schools, delayed making any decision until Iler, Turley, and Twomey had agreed to transfer SOMMA’s ownership interest in RMSCO to him, as well as to transfer $66,670 to a bank account in RMSCO’s name that Goldstein had opened and controlled. Following weeks of negotiations, on November 29, 2016, Iler, Turley and Twomey agreed to pay the bribe Goldstein was soliciting and, one day later, on November 30, 2016, Goldstein approved reintroduction of SOMMA’s chicken products in schools. SOMMA’s products were served in schools until April 2017 when, following repeated complaints from students and staff that the chicken tenders continued to contain foreign objects, SchoolFood decided to remove all SOMMA food products from New York City public schools. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Robert Polemeni, Andrew Grubin, Laura Zuckerwise and Kaitlin McTague are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Kavya Kannan and Rachel Friedman. The Defendants : ERIC GOLDSTEIN Age: 56 New Rochelle, New York BLAINE ILER Age: 37 Dallas, Texas MICHAEL TURLEY Age: 54 Fayetteville, Arkansas BRIAN TWOMEY Age: 51 Dallas, Texas E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-550 (DC)


title: Leaders of Transnational Terrorist Group Charged with Soliciting Hate Crimes, Soliciting the Murder of Federal Officials, and Conspiring to Provide Material Support to Terrorists

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that Dallas Humber, 34, of Elk Grove, California, and Matthew Allison, 37, of Boise, Idaho — leaders of the Terrorgram Collective, a transnational terrorist group — were charged with a 15-count indictment for soliciting hate crimes, soliciting the murder of federal officials, and conspiring to provide material support to terrorists. Humber and Allison were arrested on Friday by law enforcement officials. “Today’s indictment charges the defendants with leading a transnational terrorist group dedicated to attacking America’s critical infrastructure, targeting a hit list of our country’s public officials, and carrying out deadly hate crimes — all in the name of violent white supremacist ideology,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Today’s arrests are a warning that committing hate-fueled crimes in the darkest corners of the internet will not hide you, and soliciting terrorist attacks from behind a screen will not protect you. The United States Department of Justice will find you, and we will hold you accountable.” “We allege that the leaders of Terrorgram charged today are a threat to public safety and the rule of law,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “Using the Telegram platform, they advanced their heinous white supremacist ideology, solicited hate crimes, and provided guidance and instructions for terrorist attacks on critical infrastructure and assassinations of government officials. Today’s action reaffirms that the Department of Justice will not tolerate this alleged abhorrent conduct. It has no place in America or anywhere else. We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to identify, apprehend, and hold accountable anyone who engages in such activity, no matter where they are located.” “These defendants are alleged to be the leaders of Terrorgram Collective, a transnational terrorist group that our investigation found is responsible for soliciting hate crimes and the murder of government officials and providing support to terrorists,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “Whether motivated by racial bias or antagonism toward government and societal norms, such behavior will not be tolerated. Terrorism is still the FBI’s number one priority, and working with our partners we are committed to investigating and holding accountable those who break the laws and assist violent actors in lethal plots.” “Hate crimes fueled by bigotry and white supremacy, and amplified by the weaponization of digital messaging platforms, are on the rise and have no place in our society,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This indictment charges the leaders of a transnational terrorist group with several civil rights violations, including soliciting others to engage in hate crimes and terrorist attacks against Black, immigrant, LGBT, and Jewish people. Make no mistake, as hate groups turn to online platforms, the federal government is adapting and responding to protect vulnerable communities. The Justice Department is committed to protecting the civil rights of all Americans, and we will resolutely strive to bring to justice those who seek to threaten, undermine, or extinguish it.” “As alleged, Humber and Allison, the leaders of Terrorgram, conspired to provide material support and solicited attacks on federal officials and critical government infrastructure, including federal buildings and energy facilities,” said Matthew G. Olsen of the National Security Division. “Today’s charges demonstrate the Justice Department’s resolve to bring every available tool to bear in countering threats of violent extremists and protecting Americans.” “The defendants solicited murders and hate crimes based on the race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, and gender identity of others,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert for the Eastern District of California. “They also doxed and solicited the murder of federal officials, conspired to provide material support to terrorists, and distributed information about explosives that they intended to be used in committing crimes of violence. My office will continue to work tirelessly with our partners in law enforcement and in the Justice Department to investigate and prosecute those who commit such violations of federal criminal law. I would like to thank the FBI and the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and National Security Division for their partnership in support of the common mission to keep our people and public officials safe from hate-fueled crimes of violence.” According to the indictment, which was unsealed today, Humber and Allison are the leaders of the Terrorgram Collective, a transnational terrorist group that operates on the digital messaging platform Telegram, where it promotes white supremacist accelerationism: an ideology centered on the belief that the white race is superior; that society is irreparably corrupt and cannot be saved by political action; and that violence and terrorism are necessary to ignite a race war and accelerate the collapse of the government and the rise of a white ethnostate. The indictment alleges that Humber and Allison, as leaders of the Terrorgram Collective, contributed to and disseminated several Terrorgram videos and publications that provide specific advice for carrying out crimes, celebrate white supremacist attacks, and provide a hit list of “high-value targets” for assassination. The hit list included U.S. federal, state, and local officials, as well as leaders of private companies and non-governmental organizations, many of whom were targeted because of race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Humber and Allison are alleged to have operated Terrorgram channels and group chats, where they solicited Terrorgram users to commit attacks in order to achieve Terrorgram’s goals of accelerationism and white supremacy and provided instructions and guidance to equip Terrorgram users to carry out those attacks. These attacks include but are not limited to: Bias-motivated attacks against those deemed by Terrorgram to be enemies of the white race; Terrorist attacks on government infrastructure, such as government buildings and energy facilities, which Terrorgram believes will ignite a race war and help accelerate the collapse of government and society; and Attacks on “high-value targets” — like politicians and government officials — whose murders Terrorgram believes would sow chaos and further accelerate the government’s downfall. They also incited Terrorgram users to commit attacks in furtherance of white supremacist accelerationism, including the following individuals who were allegedly inspired or guided by Humber, Allison, and other members of the Terrorgram Collective to carry out attacks or were planning to do so when they were arrested by law enforcement: An individual who shot three people (killing two) outside of an LGBT bar in Slovakia; An individual who planned an attack on energy facilities in New Jersey; and An individual who stabbed five people near a mosque in Turkey. The indictment charges Humber and Allison with a total of 15 counts, including one count of conspiracy, four counts of soliciting hate crimes, three counts of soliciting the murder of federal officials, three counts of doxing federal officials, one count of threatening communications, two counts of distributing bombmaking instructions, and one count of conspiring to provide material support to terrorists. If convicted of all charges, Humber and Allison each face a maximum penalty of 220 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI Sacramento Field Office and FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Boise Resident Agency, investigated the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and a variety of foreign and domestic law enforcement agencies. The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, National Security Division, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. View the indictment here.


title: Virginia Woman Sentenced for Role in Drug Trafficking Operation

body_text: MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Hailey Lynn Oliff, 28, of Mount Jackson, Virginia, was sentenced today to 66 months in federal prison for her role in a drug trafficking operation in Berkeley, Hampshire, and Morgan Counties. According to court documents and statements made in court, Oliff was one of the distributors of the organization, selling methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine hydrochloride, and cocaine base. Oliff will be on three years of supervised release following her prison sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. The task force consists of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the West Virginia State Police, the Hampshire County Sheriff’s Office, the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office, the Hardy County Sheriff’s Office, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, and the Keyser Police Department. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Berkeley County and Hampshire County Prosecuting Attorney’s Offices assisted. 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. U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided. Press release on original indictment: www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/twenty-six-charged-eastern-panhandle-drug-trafficking-indictment ###


title: Leaders of Transnational Terrorist Group Charged with Soliciting Hate Crimes, Soliciting the Murder of Federal Officials and Conspiring to Provide Material Support to Terrorists

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Justice Department announced today that Dallas Humber, 34, of Elk Grove, California, and Matthew Allison, 37, of Boise, Idaho — leaders of the Terrorgram Collective, a transnational terrorist group — were charged with a 15-count indictment for soliciting hate crimes, soliciting the murder of federal officials, and conspiring to provide material support to terrorists. Humber and Allison were arrested on Friday by law enforcement officials. “Today’s indictment charges the defendants with leading a transnational terrorist group dedicated to attacking America’s critical infrastructure, targeting a hit list of our country’s public officials, and carrying out deadly hate crimes – all in the name of violent white supremacist ideology,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Today’s arrests are a warning that committing hate-fueled crimes in the darkest corners of the internet will not hide you, and soliciting terrorist attacks from behind a screen will not protect you. The United States Department of Justice will find you, and we will hold you accountable.” “The defendants solicited murders and hate crimes based on the race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, and gender identity of others,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert. “They also doxed and solicited the murder of federal officials, conspired to provide material support to terrorists, and distributed information about explosives that they intended to be used in committing crimes of violence. My office will continue to work tirelessly with our partners in law enforcement and in the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute those who commit such violations of federal criminal law. I would like to thank the FBI and the U.S. Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and National Security Division for their partnership in support of the common mission to keep our people and public officials safe from hate-fueled crimes of violence.” “The leaders of Terrorgram charged today are a threat to public safety and the rule of law,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “Using the Telegram platform, they advanced their heinous white supremacist ideology, solicited hate crimes, and provided guidance and instructions for terrorist attacks on critical infrastructure and assassinations of government officials. Today’s action reaffirms that the Department of Justice will not tolerate this alleged abhorrent conduct. It has no place in America or anywhere else. We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to identify, apprehend, and hold accountable anyone who engages in such activity, no matter where they are located.” “Hate crimes fueled by bigotry and white supremacy, and amplified by the weaponization of digital messaging platforms, are on the rise and have no place in our society,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This indictment charges the leaders of a transnational terrorist group with several civil rights violations, including soliciting others to engage in hate crimes and terrorist attacks against Black, immigrant, LGBT, and Jewish people. Make no mistake, as hate groups turn to these online platforms, the federal government is adapting and responding to protect vulnerable communities. The Justice Department is committed to protecting the civil rights of all Americans, and we will resolutely strive to bring to justice those who seek to threaten, undermine, or extinguish it.” “These defendants are alleged to be the leaders of Terrorgram Collective, a transnational terrorist group that our investigation found is responsible for soliciting hate crimes and the murder of government officials and providing support to terrorists,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “Whether motivated by racial bias or antagonism toward government and societal norms, such behavior will not be tolerated. Terrorism is still the FBI’s number one priority, and working with our partners we are committed to investigating and holding accountable those who break the laws and assist violent actors in lethal plots.” According to the indictment, which was unsealed today, Humber and Allison are the leaders of the Terrorgram Collective, a transnational terrorist group that operates on the digital messaging platform Telegram, where it promotes white supremacist accelerationism: an ideology centered on the belief that the white race is superior; that society is irreparably corrupt and cannot be saved by political action; and that violence and terrorism are necessary to ignite a race war and accelerate the collapse of the government and the rise of a white ethnostate. The indictment alleges that Humber and Allison, as leaders of the Terrorgram Collective, contributed to and disseminated several Terrorgram videos and publications that provide specific advice for carrying out crimes, celebrate white supremacist attacks, and provide a hit list of “high-value targets” for assassination. The hit list included U.S. federal, state, and local officials, as well as leaders of private companies and non-governmental organizations, many of whom were targeted because of race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Humber and Allison are alleged to have operated Terrorgram channels and group chats, where they solicited Terrorgram users to commit attacks in order to achieve Terrorgram’s goals of accelerationism and white supremacy and provided instructions and guidance to equip Terrorgram users to carry out those attacks. These attacks include but are not limited to: Bias-motivated attacks against those deemed by Terrorgram to be enemies of the white race; Terrorist attacks on government infrastructure, such as government buildings and energy facilities, which Terrorgram believes will ignite a race war and help accelerate the collapse of government and society; Attacks on “high-value targets” – like politicians and government officials –whose murders Terrorgram believes would sow chaos and further accelerate the government’s downfall. They also incited Terrorgram users to commit attacks in furtherance of white supremacist accelerationism, including the following individuals who were allegedly inspired or guided by Humber, Allison, and other members of the Terrorgram Collective to carry out attacks or were planning to do so when they were arrested by law enforcement: An individual who shot three people (killing two) outside of an LGBTQI+ bar in Slovakia; An individual who planned an attack on energy facilities in New Jersey; and An individual who stabbed five people near a mosque in Turkey. The indictment charges Humber and Allison with a total of 15 counts, including one count of conspiracy, four counts of soliciting hate crimes, three counts of soliciting the murder of federal officials, three counts of doxing federal officials, one count of threatening communications, two counts of distributing bombmaking instructions, and one count of conspiring to provide material support to terrorists. “The FBI is fiercely committed to protecting the civil liberties and safety of all Americans. Through close collaboration with our partners, the arrests of Humber and Allison reflect our resolve to combat hate crimes and terrorism. This operation reaffirms our dedication to public safety, national security, and our constitutional freedoms,” stated FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. “The unfortunate reality is that hate exists, and when someone is willing to fuel their beliefs through fear and violence, it puts the safety of us all at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha of the Salt Lake City FBI. “No community is immune. The FBI is deeply committed to safeguarding Americans from the threat of domestic terrorism and violent extremism.” If convicted of all charges, Humber and Allison each face a maximum penalty 220 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI Sacramento Field Office and FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Boise Resident Agency investigated the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and a variety of foreign and domestic law enforcement agencies. The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, National Security Division, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Armed Jacksonville Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison After 15 Citizen Complaints Lead to Investigation

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NEW BERN, N.C. – A Jacksonville man was sentenced to 180 months in prison for trafficking fentanyl while armed with firearms. On May 6, 2024, Daquan Wainwright, age 26, pled guilty to the charges. According to court documents and other information presented in court, the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office, Jacksonville Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began investigating Wainwright for drug trafficking after receiving approximately 15 community complaints regarding his sale of drugs in Onslow County. On March 1, 2022, Wainwright led law enforcement on a high-speed car chase traveling at speeds of more than 120 miles per hour before eventually getting stuck in a ditch. Wainwright was driving the car and two of the passengers were minor children. All occupants were able to exit the car safely before it was engulfed in flames. Law enforcement was also able to recover 681 grams of marijuana from the car before the fire took over. During the investigation, law enforcement developed confidential informants who provided information related to Wainwright’s drug trafficking and eventually conducted a controlled purchase of two ounces of fentanyl from Wainwright. On September 29, 2022, Onslow County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a domestic dispute call on Eider Loop Road in Jacksonville. Wainwright and his co-defendant, London Kebe, lived at the house. Kebe opened the door, and deputies immediately noticed the odor of marijuana. Deputies also discovered Kebe had an active arrest warrant and attempted to take her into custody. At this point, Wainwright had driven by the house several times. As Kebe was taken into custody, she claimed that there were children in the house. As a safety precaution, law enforcement cleared the house. There were no children present, but there were a variety of illegal items ultimately seized, including a pitcher of over two kilograms of fentanyl, 40 pounds of marijuana, drug paraphernalia, a loaded Highpoint handgun, a loaded AR-15 rifle, a stolen 9mm handgun, a rifle with an obliterated serial number, another 9mm loaded handgun, and several rounds of ammunition. They also seized nearly $15,000 in cash. Wainwright was eventually taken into custody on scene. He attempted to destroy his phone as he was being handcuffed. The phone was forensically analyzed and contained pictures and other evidence of drug trafficking and firearm possession. After he was in custody, Wainwright continued to direct others to collect debts owed to him for drugs and provide the payment to his mother. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Onslow County Sheriff’s Office, Jacksonville Police Department, and the DEA investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Lemons prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:22-CR-00135-D-001.


title: Four Gang Members Charged In 2022 Armed Robbery And Carjacking Spree

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Edward A. Caban, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today the unsealing of a nine-count indictment charging four individuals—KELVIN FERNANDEZ, DEIVID PEREZ, a/k/a “Bujia,” JUAN LOPEZ, a/k/a “Secreto,” and MOISES HERNANDEZ DE LA CRUZ, a/k/a “Flaco”—with several federal crimes, including robbery, carjacking, and firearms offenses stemming from their roles in the Shooting Boys gang. The defendants were arrested this morning and will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron in Manhattan federal court. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge George B. Daniels. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, the defendants went on a crime spree in Manhattan and the Bronx. Their alleged violent robberies and car thefts—committed using a firearm, machete, and BB gun—left terrified New Yorkers in their wake. Let these charges be a message to any gang members who think they can get away with perpetrating violence in our city: this Office will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.” NYPD Commissioner Edward A. Caban said: “These arrests underscore the NYPD’s relentless efforts to identify and investigate the alleged members of ruthless gangs and crews plaguing our neighborhoods. I commend our NYPD detectives and our partners in the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York for their ongoing work to eradicate gun violence in New York City and their commitment to preserving the safety of all New Yorkers.” As alleged in the Indictment and other documents filed in federal court: [1] The “Shooting Boys” gang is a criminal organization based in the University Heights section of the Bronx. Since at least 2017, gang members have sold drugs, used guns, and committed numerous acts of violence against members of rival gangs. Originally associated with the “Trinitarios” gang, the Shooting Boys broke off from the “Sunset” chapter of the Trinitarios in about 2018. The defendants are members and associates of the Shooting Boys. Between April 25 and May 10, 2022, the defendants committed gunpoint robberies of two convenience stores in Manhattan and the Bronx, robbed a third convenience store in the Bronx using a machete and a BB gun, committed an armed carjacking of a victim’s BMW in the Bronx, and forcibly stole a Jeep Cherokee from a victim in Queens, New York. Still images from surveillance video capturing certain of these incidents are pictured below: April 25, 2022, Gunpoint Convenience Store Robbery April 30, 2022, Gunpoint Convenience Store Robbery May 10, 2022, Machete and BB Gun Convenience Store Robbery FERNANDEZ provided the other defendants with the firearm—a .357 revolver—and BB gun that were used during the charged incidents. The .357 revolver was recovered by law enforcement and is pictured below. * * * A chart containing the names, charges, and maximum and minimum penalties for the defendants is set forth below. The mandatory minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD. This case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dominic A. Gentile and Chelsea L. Scism are in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Charge Defendants Maximum and Minimum Penalties Count One Conspiracy to Commit Hobbs Act Robbery 18 U.S.C. § 1951 KELVIN FERNANDEZ JUAN LOPEZ DEIVID PEREZ MOISES HERNANDEZ DE LA CRUZ Maximum : 20 years in prison Count Two Hobbs Act Robbery 18 U.S.C. §§ 1951 and 2 KELVIN FERNANDEZ JUAN LOPEZ DEIVID PEREZ Maximum : 20 years in prison Count Three Firearms Offense 18 U.S.C. §§ 924(c) and 2 KELVIN FERNANDEZ JUAN LOPEZ DEIVID PEREZ Maximum : Life in prison Minimum : 7 years in prison, which must be consecutive to any other term imposed Count Four Hobbs Act Robbery 18 U.S.C. §§ 1951 and 2 KELVIN FERNANDEZ JUAN LOPEZ DEIVID PEREZ Maximum : 20 years in prison Count Five Firearms Offense 18 U.S.C. §§ 924(c) and 2 KELVIN FERNANDEZ JUAN LOPEZ DEIVID PEREZ Maximum : Life in prison Minimum : 7 years in prison, which must be consecutive to any other term imposed Count Six Hobbs Act Robbery 18 U.S.C. §§ 1951 and 2 KELVIN FERNANDEZ MOISES HERNANDEZ DE LA CRUZ DEIVID PEREZ Maximum : 20 years in prison Count Seven Carjacking 18 U.S.C. §§ 2119 and 2 KELVIN FERNANDEZ JUAN LOPEZ DEIVID PEREZ Maximum: 15 years in prison Count Eight Firearms Offense 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) and 2 KELVIN FERNANDEZ JUAN LOPEZ DEIVID PEREZ Maximum : Life in prison Minimum : 7 years in prison, which must be consecutive to any other term imposed Count Nine Interstate Transportation of a Stolen Vehicle 18 U.S.C. §§ 2312 and 2 MOISES HERNANDEZ DE LA CRUZ DEIVID PEREZ Maximum: 10 years in prison [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Owner of Three North Shore Restaurants Pleads Guilty to Tax Fraud Schemes

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Hampton, N.H. man pleaded guilty on Sept. 6, 2024 to defrauding the Internal Revenue Service regarding federal employment taxes and the Massachusetts Department of Revenue regarding state meals taxes over a six-year period. Defendant owned and operated three restaurants: in Salem, Mass.; Peabody, Mass.; and Seabrook, N.H. John Drivas, age 66, pleaded guilty to five counts of failure to collect and pay over employment taxes owed to the IRS and four counts of wire fraud for state meals taxes he collected from restaurant customers but failed to pay to the state Department of Revenue. U.S. District Judge Julia E. Kobick scheduled sentencing for Dec. 5, 2024. Between January 2016 to October 2022, Drivas was the owner and operator of three restaurants: Red’s Sandwich Shop in Salem, Mass., Red’s Kitchen and Tavern in Peabody, Mass. and Red’s Seabrook in Seabrook, N.H. He was the sole shareholder of the Salem restaurant until he sold it to an employee in September 2022. He was the 100% owner of the Peabody restaurant with his wife and the 52% owner of the Seabrook restaurant with his children. Drivas paid wages to numerous employees of the restaurants partly by payroll checks and partly in cash. He did not report the cash wages to the IRS or pay employment taxes on them. Federal tax law requires employers to withhold from any employee wages an amount for income taxes and other amounts for Social Security and Medicare taxes. Drivas caused employment tax losses of $439,341. Drivas also collected more than $1.5 million in state meals taxes paid by restaurant customers which he failed to pay over to the state as required by law. In Massachusetts, all owners and operators of restaurants and bars are required to collect 6.25 sales taxes on meals. Salem and Peabody also require restaurants and bars to collect an additional 0.75% local option meals excise tax. Although Drivas collected the taxes from restaurant customers, he intentionally withheld $1,596,775. of those taxes from monthly reports and payments owed to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue. The charge of failure to pay over taxes carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, , a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss and restitution. Each wire fraud charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, supervised release for three years, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, and restitution. Sentences are imposed by the federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy, Harry Chavis, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office and Katherine Mulligan, Chief of Investigations for the Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Criminal Investigations Bureau of the Massachusetts Department of Revenue. Assistant United States Attorney Victor A. Wild of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: Luzerne County Man Sentenced To 108 Months In Prison For Fentanyl Trafficking

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on September 5, 2024, U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion sentenced Antoine Montgomery, age 34, of Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, to a term of 108 months’ imprisonment for trafficking of fentanyl. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Montgomery pleaded guilty to a drug trafficking on February 23, 2022. Montgomery was arrested during the DEA’s Operation Overdrive which targeted drug trafficking, firearms and violent crimes in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, and surrounding areas. Agents conducted surveillance in the area of Beaumont Street, Wilkes Barre when they observed Montgomery and his co-defendant Jamal Jenkins conduct numerous illegal drug transactions. As a result of further investigation, a federal search warrant was served on a residence and parked vehicle controlled by Montgomery and Jenkins on January 4, 2023. Agents seized 300 grams of fentanyl and fluorofentanyl, together with crack cocaine and cocaine. Judge Mannion previously sentenced Jenkins to 36 months’ imprisonment, and in this case also ordered Montgomery to serve a term of 4 years of supervised release following release from custody. This case was jointly investigated by the DEA and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Todd K. Hinkley prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin and other opioids. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin and opioid traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: Charleston Woman Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Alexis Nicole Davis, 26, of Charleston, was sentenced today to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 21, 2023, Davis possessed 10 grams of fentanyl that was arranged to be sold at a Charleston gas station. When Davis arrived at the gas station, she recognized the would-be buyer was a confidential informant and the sale was not conducted. After Davis left the gas station, law enforcement officers stopped her and found the fentanyl in her purse. Davis admitted that she possessed the fentanyl and intended to distribute it to others. Travell Lamar Johnson, 45, of Big Chimney, participated in the halted transaction and also sold quantities of fentanyl to the confidential informant on three other occasions in June 2023. Johnson was sentenced to four years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on August 7, 2024, after pleading guilty to distribution of fentanyl. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Charleston Police Department-Special Enforcement Unit. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander A. Redmon 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. 2:24-cr-72. ###


title: Roslindale Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Firearm Offense

body_text: BOSTON – A Heath Street Gang member/associate involved in a shooting in residential neighborhood was sentenced on Sept. 6, 2024 in federal court in Boston for unlawfully possessing a firearm. Deondre Blanding, 27, of Roslindale, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to five years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release. In May 2024, Blanding pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Blanding was charged and arrested in February 2024, along with over 40 alleged Heath Street Gang members/associates, who were charged with racketeering conspiracy, drug trafficking, firearms and financial fraud charges. Blanding was a marijuana dealer for the Gang who distributed pound-quantity amounts of marijuana. On Oct. 8, 2023, Blanding arranged to buy three pounds of marijuana from an individual and arrived at the deal armed with a firearm. The arranged drug deal resulted in a shooting in the middle of a Randolph neighborhood involving Blanding and two other individuals. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Randolph Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Crowley and Sarah Hoefle of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Cincinnati men sentenced to decades in prison for murder of convenience store owner, armed robberies

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: CINCINNATI – Two Cincinnati men were sentenced in federal court here today to decades in prison for crimes involving the murder of the owner of Madeira Beverage in February 2021 and multiple armed robberies. Willie James Attaway, 33, was sentenced to 40 years in prison for murdering Roop C. Gupta and committing or attempting four other armed robberies on Feb. 8 and Feb. 9, 2021. During the two-day crime spree, Attaway brandished a firearm to rob or attempt to rob: Feb. 8 – Shell on S. Mason Montgomery Road in Deerfield Township, Feb. 8 – Shell on Dixie Highway in Hamilton, Ohio, Feb. 9 – Madeira Beverage on Kenwood Road in Madeira, Ohio, Feb. 9 – Sunoco on Kenwood Road in Blue Ash, Ohio, and Feb. 9 – Marathon on North Broadway in Lebanon, Ohio. At the first robbery, Attaway brandished a firearm at the two clerks and demanded that they empty the cash registers, which they did. Later that night, at a second Shell gas station, Attaway brandished a firearm and said he was not afraid to shoot the clerk. The clerk gave Attaway money from the cash register. The next day, Feb. 9, 2021, Attaway entered Madeira Beverage and confronted the store’s owner, Roop Gupta, who was working behind the counter. Attaway pointed a firearm at Gupta, and during the ensuing struggle he shot Gupta one time in the left abdomen. Gupta was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Later that evening, Attaway entered the Sonoco in Blue Ash, brandished a firearm, and demanded that the clerk give up the money in the cash register, which the clerk did. During the final robbery on Feb. 9, Attaway pointed a firearm at the Marathon clerk and said, “Give me what you got.” The clerk reached under the counter, pretending he had a firearm, causing Attaway to flee. The second defendant, Lamond Johnson, 38, who served as Attaway’s driver during the robberies, was sentenced today to 23 years in prison. Johnson previously pleaded guilty to three counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence and two counts of attempted robbery. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); announced the sentences imposed today by Senior U.S. District Judge Susan J. Dlott. Assistant United States Attorneys Julie D. Garcia and Kyle J. Healey are representing the United States in this case. The investigation was jointly conducted by ATF and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Madeira Police Department, the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, the Cincinnati, Lebanon, Blue Ash and Hamilton police departments, and the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office. # # #


title: St. Louis Man Admits Operating Long-Running Ponzi Scheme

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis, Missouri man on Monday admitted operating a Ponzi scheme for almost a decade that raised $350,000. Robert F. Rothluebbers, 68, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of wire fraud, admitting that he operated the scheme from October 2014 through January 2024. Rothluebbers solicited investments by falsely claiming that he would use their money to purchase R-22 refrigerant in bulk, at a discount, and then re-sell the refrigerant to contractors and others at a 50% profit. Rothluebbers claimed that the gradual phaseout of R-22 would enable him to increase investors’ profits. Rothluebbers solicited investors from October 2014 to May 2017, entering into written purchase agreements in which he agreed to the purchase of specified amounts of R-22 at certain prices, and a minimum resale price. But Rothluebbers admitted using investors’ money to pay earlier investors, pay relatives or for personal purchases. Rothluebbers provided bogus excuses for failing to pay investors, including a claim that the money had been frozen by his financial institution and the Internal Revenue Service. Rothluebbers admitted raising at least $350,000 from four investors. He admitted paying Ponzi scheme payments of $171,450, mostly after investors discovered his scheme. Rothluebbers is scheduled to be sentenced on December 12. Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and fine. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow is prosecuting the case.


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

body_text: COEUR D’ALENE – U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit, the Latah County Human Rights Task Force, the Nez Perce Tribe, the Moscow Human Rights Commission, DOJ Community Relations Service, and the FBI, are convening a United Against Hate summit on September 16 at The 1912 Center in Moscow. The event is free and is open to the public. United Against Hate is an initiative launched by the Department of Justice focused on improving efforts to combat hate crimes and hate incidents through relationship building at the local level. Through this endeavor, the U.S. Attorney’s Office seeks to create and strengthen trust and partnerships among law enforcement, community leaders, and residents. Well‑attended summits have already been held in Coeur d’Alene, Caldwell, Boise, Ketchum, Pocatello, and Sandpoint. “The United Against Hate initiative continues to resonate and be a priority for our office because Idaho continues to grapple with unlawful hate,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “We are committed to empowering Idahoans to recognize and report hate crimes so that we can enforce the law and work toward communities where everyone enjoys the protections of our Constitution without fear of being targeted by bigotry and hate.” The September 16 event will include remarks from local leaders, presentations from prosecutors about hate crimes laws and reporting mechanisms, and speakers who will share their visions of safety and peace in their community and region. “It is very exciting for Moscow to host this unique and timely event with such a wide representation of presenters including a panel giving the local perspective on providing a safe and welcoming environment,” said Joann Muneta, Chair of the Latah County Human Rights Task Force “Our commitment to promoting human rights and combating hate is stronger than ever,” said Erin Agidius, Moscow Human Rights Commission Chair. “This summit represents an opportunity for us to come together as a community, share our experiences, and build lasting partnerships that stand against hate and bigotry. We are honored to collaborate with our co-sponsors to advance this vital cause. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that all members of our community feel safe, valued, and heard. By coming together, we can foster a culture of respect and understanding, making it clear that hate has no place in Moscow or anywhere else.” “Hate and bigotry can only flourish if it is ignored or goes unopposed,” said Shannon F. Wheeler, Chairman, Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee. “Working with and getting to know our neighbors is the most effective way to actively push back on hate and prevent it from gaining a foothold in this region. The Nez Perce Tribe has called this area home for thousands of years. As its first inhabitants, we consider these lands sacred and, we are proud to be a partner in the United Against Hate campaign. We will continue to work together with all who are willing to make this region a home for everyone.” “I look forward to meeting community members and hearing different perspectives on how we can work together to unite our community in standing up to hate,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “And I am deeply honored to partner with our co-sponsors to prioritize this critical mission.” ###


title: Four Charged in $1 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme

body_text: BOSTON – One Massachusetts resident has been indicted, and two Massachusetts residents and one New York resident have agreed to plead guilty, in connection with a scheme to defraud various health insurance companies by submitting false claims seeking reimbursement for over $1 million of bogus medical expenses purportedly incurred during international travel. Henry Ezeonyido, 36, of Brockton, Mass., was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and six counts of health care fraud. Brendon Ashe, 40, of Dorchester, Mass.; Darline Cobbler, 40, of Randolph, Mass.; and Ariel Lambert, 34, of Brooklyn, N.Y., have each agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud. All four defendants were originally charged in a complaint unsealed on July 11, 2024. According to the charging documents, from in or about October 2019 through in or about February 2022, Ezeonyido allegedly submitted fraudulent health insurance claims on his own behalf and on behalf of others, including Ashe, Cobbler, and Lambert, for expensive medical treatment that they purportedly received and paid for out-of-pocket while traveling overseas. It is alleged that many of the claims related to fake traumatic injuries such as stabbings, gunshot wounds, and hit and run car accidents that the defendants and others purportedly suffered requiring their hospitalization abroad. Ezeonyido allegedly submitted fabricated documents to health insurance companies in support of the fraudulent claims, including fabricated medical records purporting to show the medical care received, fabricated bank records purporting to show payment to the international treatment facilities, and – where the claim related to a fake traumatic injury – fabricated police reports describing the circumstances of the alleged event. As a result of these fraudulent claims, various health insurance companies were allegedly billed over $1 million for services that were never provided. According to the charging documents, upon receiving payments from the health insurance companies, Ashe, Cobbler, Lambert and others allegedly paid a portion of the proceeds to Ezeonyido and other co-conspirators. The charges of health care fraud and conspiracy to commit health care fraud each carry a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division; and Insurance Fraud Bureau Executive Director Anthony DiPaolo made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leslie Wright of the Health Care Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. Ezeonyido is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Pierce County man sentenced to seven years in prison for drug and gun crimes

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 46-year-old Pierce County man was sentenced last week in U.S. District Court in Seattle to seven years in prison for his repeated drug trafficking and firearms possession, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Ryan James Townsend was indicted in November 2023, after two encounters with law enforcement. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Robert S. Lasnik imposed four years of supervised release to follow sentencing. According to records filed in the case, Townsend was investigated by law enforcement in November 2022, for an incident where he fired multiple shots into the air outside a Planet Fitness gym on East 72 nd Street in Tacoma. Witnesses and surveillance video showed Townsend in a white Escalade firing a handgun into the air. Townsend was later located in the car at a gas station, passed out behind the wheel. A 9mm handgun was found in the car. Townsend was prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior convictions. About nine months later, in August 2023, a Puyallup Police Officer attempted to stop Townsend as he was driving in a different car with no license plates. Townsend fled in the car, hitting and damaging another vehicle, and injuring the driver. Ultimately Townsend crashed his car. He attempted to run from the police who responded to the crash site. A court authorized search of the car revealed methamphetamine as well as a handgun in the glove box. When a search warrant was served on Townsend’s residence, agents seize fentanyl pills, heroin, and three firearms. In June 2024, Townsend pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm. Both prosecutors and defense recommended a sentence of 84 months in prison. In asking for the seven-year sentence, Assistant United States Attorney Casey Conzatti wrote to the court, “On a number of occasions Mr. Townsend continued to possess firearms knowing he was not allowed to. On one occasion Mr. Townsend was observed shooting a gun into the air putting civilians in danger. Following the arrest for this conduct, Mr. Townsend did not stop his criminal behavior. Less than a year later, Mr. Townsend was found with a second firearm, and this time he had drugs with him.” The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Puyallup and Tacoma Police Departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Casey Conzatti.


title: Four Southern California Men Arrested on Charges Alleging They Kidnapped Migrants and Held Them for Ransom

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – Four men from Southern California have been arrested and arraigned on a nine-count indictment charging them with kidnapping migrants to the United States and holding them for ransom, demanding cash from their families in exchange for their safe return. The indictment, returned July 30, charges the following five defendants with two counts of conspiracy to commit hostage taking and hostage taking, two counts of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and kidnapping, one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens, and two counts of transporting illegal aliens for private financial gain: Miguel Angel Avila, a.k.a. “Fredo,” “Quavo,” “Marcos,” and “Papitas,” 22, of Hemet; Omar Avila Salmeron, a.k.a. Simón Hernández,” “Andres,” and “El Palatero,” 41, of South Los Angeles; Jose Jaime Garcia, a.k.a. “Pablo” and “Sneaky,” 20, of San Jacinto; Gabriel Michel Becerra, a.k.a. “Steven”, 22, of Palmdale; and Jose Alfredo Moreno Gonzalez, 21, of Oak Hills. Avila, Salmeron, Garcia, and Becerra also are charged with two counts of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by extortion and attempted interference with commerce by extortion (Hobbs Act). Four defendants have been arraigned and have pleaded not guilty to the charges against them. Salmeron, Garcia, and Moreno are scheduled to go on trial on October 1. Avila has an October 29 trial date scheduled. A federal magistrate judge has ordered Avila and Salmeron jailed without bond. Garcia and Moreno are free on bond. Becerra is currently a fugitive. Anyone with information pertaining to his whereabouts is encouraged to call law enforcement. “These defendants allegedly preyed upon victims who sought to emigrate to our country by demanding ransom from the victims’ families in exchange for their release,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada of the Central District of California. “Our office is committed to ensuring that those who use violence to terrorize others face severe consequences for their actions.” According to the indictment, on March 21, 2023, Avila instructed Moreno to drive to a Chevron gas station in Chandler, Arizona. Upon arrival, Moreno reportedly kidnapped four migrants and transported them to a restaurant in Burbank. Avila, along with Garcia and Becerra, then held the hostages in a house. Using a victim’s cellphone, Avila demanded ransom money from the victim’s family member in exchange for their release. Avila then allegedly used another victim’s cellphone to demand ransom payments, partially to an account in Mexico and partially to an account in the United States, from that victim’s family member in exchange for the victim’s release. On March 22, 2023, Avila and Salmeron demanded ransom from another hostage’s family member for their release. Avila, Garcia, and Becerra allegedly moved the three of the hostages to a motel room, where one victim managed to escape through a second-story bathroom window. Avila and a co-conspirator chased the victim to a nearby store in Koreatown. Inside the store, Avila body-slammed the victim, placed him in a chokehold, and punched him repeatedly in the face in an attempt to re-kidnap him. Avila, Garcia, and Becerra then allegedly restrained one victim and another hostage by tying their hands, transported them to another house, and held them in a room, threatening them with violence if they attempted to escape. On March 23, 2023, Avila, Garcia, and Becerra reportedly drove a victim to a gas station, where they took $11,000 in cash from the victim’s brother in exchange for the victim’s release. “Human smuggling is a dangerous crime,” said United States Attorney Tara McGrath of the Southern District of California. “These defendants will face justice for abusing vulnerable migrants for profit.” An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court. If convicted of all charges, each defendant would face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison. Operation Safe Cities establishes strategic enforcement priorities with an emphasis on prosecuting the most significant drivers of violent crime. Across this region, the most damaging and horrific crimes are committed by a relatively small number of particularly violent individuals. This strategic enforcement approach is expected to increase the number of arrests, prosecutions and convictions of recidivists engaged in the most dangerous conduct. It is designed to improve public safety across the region by targeting crimes involving illicit guns, prohibited persons possessing firearms, or robbery crews that cause havoc and extensive losses to retail establishments. United States Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Los Angeles Police Department are investigating this matter. This case is being prosecuted jointly by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Central District of California and Southern District of California. Assistant United States Attorney Jena A. MacCabe of the Violent and Organized Crime Section is the lead counsel on this matter.


title: Newport News woman pleads guilty to laundering money taken from a pandemic relief loan program

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News woman pled guilty today to laundering proceeds of a pandemic-benefit fraud scheme. According to court documents, on March 17, 2021, Shenita R. Banks, 50, applied for a loan for her company, Wireless Queen, Inc., through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a COVID-19 relief program intended to provide loans backed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) to certain businesses, nonprofit organizations, and other entities to help them retain their employees or stay afloat during the pandemic. Banks incorporated Wireless Queen, Inc., on July 27, 2015, but it had no business operations, employees, or sales in 2020. In her PPP application, Banks fraudulently claimed that the purpose of the loan was for payroll costs, rent/mortgage interest, utilities, and covered supplier costs. Banks falsely stated that her average monthly payroll costs were $58,900.00. As part of the application, Banks submitted copies of tax returns (IRS Forms 940, 941, and 1120) for tax year 2020, in which she reported payments to employees totaling $705,941.44. However, the IRS has no record of Banks filing these forms for tax years 2018 through 2022 or of Banks filing an individual Form 1040 tax return for those tax years. On March 24, 2021, Banks’ PPP loan application was approved, and on March 25, 2021, Banks electronically signed the PPP application attesting that the information provided was true and accurate and that she understood the criminal penalties associated with providing false statements to the SBA. Banks specifically certified that she was eligible to receive a loan under the rules issued by the SBA and that all loan proceeds would be used only for business-related purposes. On March 31, 2021, Banks received $145,833 for the awarded PPP funding to her business account held in the name of Wireless Queen Inc., which Banks opened the day before submitting the initial PPP application. On April 5, 2021, Banks laundered $33,030 of the PPP loan funds by withdrawing them from the Wireless Queen bank account. Banks is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 29, 2025, and faces a up to 10 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Kareem A. Carter, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Jamar K. Walker accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Therese O'Brien and Mack Coleman are prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-cr-41.