title: Multiple defendants prosecuted on federal firearms, drug charges

body_text: SAVANNAH, GA: Newly returned indictments in the Southern District of Georgia include felony charges for illegal firearms possession and drug distribution, while additional defendants have been sentenced to federal prison or await further proceedings after pleading guilty to federal gun charges. The cases are prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods in collaboration with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI, to reduce violent crime with measures that include targeting convicted felons who illegally possess guns. “As a new year begins, we renew our determination to remove guns from the hands of those who are prohibited from possessing them,” said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “Felons and firearms don’t mix, and it’s vital to public safety that we keep them separated.” In the past five years, more than 800 defendants have been prosecuted in the Southern District of Georgia for firearms offenses – most often for possessing a firearm after conviction for a previous felony. That charge carries a statutory penalty of up to 15 years in prison, and there is no parole in the federal system. Those indicted during the December and January terms of the U.S. District Court Grand Jury include: Eric Massey , 29, and Unique Haynes , 26, both of Jacksonville, Fla., charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine, Cocaine and Fentanyl. Haynes also is charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Cocaine, and Fentanyl; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. The arrests in the case occurred in Augusta as a result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Georgia State Patrol. Lynwood Forrest Burke , 60, of Dearing, Ga., charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. All indicted defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. Defendants recently adjudicated on federal firearms charges include: William Beau Devore , 21, of Martinez, Ga., was sentenced to 102 months in prison and fined $2,000 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Columbia County sheriff’s deputies arrested Devore in January 2022 after a burglary determined that he was illegally in possession of five guns. Zion Howard , 23, of Augusta, was sentenced to 80 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County sheriff’s deputies found Howard in possession of a pistol while investigating a reported shooting. Isaac Wilford Stewart , 24, of Augusta, was sentenced to 37 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Waynesboro police officers found a pistol in Stewart’s wrecked vehicle after he fled from an attempted traffic stop in October 2022. Joquan K. Clark , 25, of Waynesboro, Ga., was sentenced to 30 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Waynesboro police officers responding to a domestic dispute arrested Clark after finding a pistol in his pocket. Marquese Shavel Palmer , 30, of Collins, Ga., was sentenced to 46 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Palmer was indicted along with 31 other defendants as part of an alleged drug trafficking conspiracy in multiple Georgia counties. Investigators who searched Palmer’s residence found drugs, firearms, ammunition, and Gangster Disciples documents and paraphernalia. Jovonn Courtney Stokes , 26, of Springfield, Ga., was sentenced to 85 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution after pleading guilty to three counts of Interference with Commerce by Robbery, and one count of Use of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence. Stokes brandished a handgun while robbing two Chatham County convenience stores and an Effingham County convenience store in November and December 2022. Tyrone Dion Lyons Sr. , 39, of Augusta, was sentenced to 50 months in prison and fined $1,000 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County deputies and U.S. Marshals found a pistol in Lyons’ vehicle while serving a warrant for his arrest on Gwinnett County, Ga., charges. Tori Davis , 33, of Savannah, was sentenced to 90 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and Possession of Oxycodone and Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute. Garden City police found drugs and a loaded handgun in his vehicle during a traffic stop. Michael Floyd , 31, of Garden City, Ga., was sentenced to 77 months in prison and fined $5,000 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. A special-duty Savannah police officer found Floyd carrying a pistol in his waistband while inside Savannah’s Oglethorpe Mall. Calvin Polite , 36, of Savannah, was sentenced to 37 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers found a pistol in Polite’s possession while investigating a report of shots fired in a Savannah neighborhood. David Wayne Cleland , 34, of Ridgeland, S.C., was sentenced to 33 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Garden City police officers investigating a suspicious vehicle in a motel parking lot found Cleland asleep in the car with a handgun in his lap. Robert Sanders , 66, of Hephzibah, Ga., was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison and fined $1,000 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Fort Eisenhower military police questioned Sanders after finding him fishing in an unauthorized area at the installation and discovered a pistol in his vehicle. Steve Shontell Heath, 46, of Hephzibah, Ga., was sentenced to 46 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. A Burke County sheriff’s deputy found a pistol in Heath’s vehicle during a traffic stop. DeShawn Tisdale , 24, of Savannah, was sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers found a pistol in Tisdale’s vehicle while investigating a trespassing call at a Savannah residence. Tommy Cowart , 60, of Statesboro, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Bulloch County deputies arrested Cowart after finding a rifle in his car during a traffic stop. Dennis Mitchell , 51, of Brunswick, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Brunswick police officers found Mitchell in possession of a gun during a July 2022 traffic stop in which he was a passenger in the vehicle. Jamell Williams , 44, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers investigating reports of shots fired near a motel determined Williams was in possession of a rifle. Karron L. Shuman , 36, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police found a pistol in Shuman’s vehicle during a November 2022 traffic stop. Hunter W. Taylor , 26, of Hephzibah, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County deputies investigating reports of gunfire in May 2022 charged Taylor after determining he possessed a rifle. Jacques B. Pope , 32, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers investigating gunshots in November 2022 determined Pope had been in possession of a pistol. Zachary Smith , 26, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers investigating a February 2022 reported robbery took Smith into custody when he was shot after pointing a pistol in the direction of a police officer. The cases are being prosecuted for the United States by the Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney’s Office. Under federal law, it is illegal for an individual to possess a firearm if he or she falls into one of nine prohibited categories including being a felon; illegal alien; or unlawful user of a controlled substance. Further, it is unlawful to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense or violent crime. It is also illegal to purchase – or even to attempt to purchase – firearms if the buyer is a prohibited person or illegally purchasing a firearm on behalf of others. Lying on ATF Form 4473, which is used to lawfully purchase a firearm, also is a federal offense. For more information from the ATF on the lawful purchasing of firearms, please see: https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/atfw-form-4473 03-24


title: Hart County Man Sentenced to Over 4 Years in Federal Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Bowling Green, KY – A Hart County, Kentucky, man was sentenced yesterday to 4 years and 9 months in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm after having previously been convicted of a felony offense. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division made the announcement. According to court documents, Lawrence T. Carter, Jr., 50, of Munfordville, Kentucky, was sentenced to 4 years and 9 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a Sig Sauer P365 9mm handgun, and ammunition, on August 16, 2022. Carter was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses. On March 2, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, Carter was convicted of attempt to manufacture methamphetamine, felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of an unregistered shotgun less than 26 inches in length. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the ATF with assistance from the Cave City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark J. Yurchisin II and R. Nicholas Rabold, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: Mescalero Man Pleads Guilty to Assault

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Garrick Richard Shendo-Herrera pled guilty in federal court to assault with intent to commit another felony. Shendo-Herrera, 36, of Mescalero, and an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. In his plea agreement, Shendo-Herrera admitted that on May 16, 2023, he assaulted Jane Doe in a car parked in the driveway of his residence. At sentencing, Shendo-Herrera faces 10 years in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau Investigation investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Eliot Neal is prosecuting the case. View the Information View the Plea Agreement # # # 24-22


title: Hungarian Woman Sentenced For Fraud And Money Laundering For Selling Counterfeit Art

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Zsanett Nagy, age 32, was given a sentence of time served, followed by two years of supervised release, for the offense of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Nagy was previously indicted, along with her then-husband Earl Marshawn Washington, for selling counterfeit artistic goods known as “woodblocks” or “woodcuts” to various buyers and then laundering the proceeds from the sale of those goods between 2018 and 2021. Washington and Nagy both pleaded guilty last year. According to the indictment, xylography is the art of making “woodcuts,” or engravings made from wooden blocks, especially for printing using historical techniques. In traditional xylography, an artist uses a sharpened tool to carve a design into the surface of a woodblock. The raised areas that remain after the block has been cut are inked and printed, while the recessed areas that are cut away do not retain ink and will remain blank in the final print. Woodblock images can be printed onto paper, fabrics, textiles, or other materials. The technique has been used in different geographic regions at different times. One woodblock tradition stems from Germany starting around the 14th century and continuing for several hundred years thereafter. Washington and Nagy sold inauthentic woodblocks and prints made from woodblocks that they as advertised as being from between the 15th and early 20th centuries. The buyers included a pair of woodblock collectors residing in France, as well as a buyer of a woodblock print who then resided in Hummelstown, Pennsylvania, in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. The buyers of the woodblocks in France made PayPal payments to Nagy before learning that the woodblocks they purchased were not from the 15th and 16th centuries, as advertised. Nagy received these payments, moved the proceeds to a bank account in her name, and then quickly converted the proceeds to cash through withdrawals of several thousand dollars or more. Nagy was ordered to pay restitution to these victims in the amount of $107,159.25. She also faces potential deportation for her conviction. Washington is scheduled to be sentenced in March 2024. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ravi Romel Sharma and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Art Crime Team. # # #


title: Venice Man Charged With Threatening To Commit A Mass Casualty Event And Unlawful Possession Of A Silencer

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Alexander Lightner (26, Venice, FL) with interstate transmission of a threat to injure and unlawful possession of a silencer. If convicted on all counts, Lightner faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. According to court filings, on December 29, 2023, Lightner made the following threats on an internet messaging platform indicating his intention to carry out a mass shooting: “2024 there shall be saints u fuq”; “Highscore shall be defeated”; “I’ll delete this, but I say to you there is no surrender only death. Only purpose”; “When my @ says last seen a week ago remove me from everything.”; “It’s called a .308 black tip.”; and “Those that know me know. It’s over, you have not seen the wrath of the Aryan that has no purpose left.” In the racially or ethnically motivated violent extremist (“RMVE”) community, a “saint” is an individual who commits an act of mass violence in furtherance of RMVE ideology, and the term “high score” refers to the death toll amassed by an attacker, or saint, who commits an act of mass violence. Federal law enforcement subsequently executed a search warrant at Lightner’s residence. During the search, agents recovered an unregistered firearm silencer, ammunition, and multiple firearms from Lightner’s bedroom. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, with valuable assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Sarasota Police Department, and the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lindsey Schmidt.


title: Christian County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Cocaine Trafficking and Illegal Possession of a Firearm

body_text: Paducah, KY – A Christian County, Kentucky man was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in federal prison for possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute it, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, and Hopkinsville Police Chief Jason Newby made the announcement. According to court documents, Morgan Hancock, Jr., 46, of Hopkinsville, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for one count of possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute it, one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Hancock was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offense. On September 18, 2009, in Christian Circuit Court, Hancock was convicted of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance – cocaine. There is no parole in the federal system. The case was investigated by the DEA Paducah Post of Duty and the Hopkinsville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case. ###


title: Brockton Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation Offenses

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Brockton man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to coercing three minors to produce child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Zaire Aquil Lodge, 46, pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual exploitation of children and one count of receipt of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for April 34, 2024. Lodge was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2023. According to the indictment, on various dates in 2021, Lodge employed, used, persuaded, induced and coerced three minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing CSAM. It is also alleged that Lodge knowingly received and attempted to receive CSAM between February and October 2021. The charges of sexual exploitation of children provide for a sentence of at least 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Brockton Police Chief Brenda Perez made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Milton Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and Fentanyl

body_text: BOSTON – A Milton man was sentenced yesterday for drug trafficking charges. Brandy Soto-Lara, 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to five years in prison and four years of supervised release. In October 2023, Lara pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl. During a search of Soto-Lara’s apartment in November 2018, over 400 grams of cocaine and over 40 grams of fentanyl was seized. Additionally, $6,000, a loaded firearm with an obliterated serial number, firearm parts and ammunition were also recovered from Soto-Lara’s apartment. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip C. Cheng and Lucy Sun of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. 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 .


title: New York Man Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Prison for Trafficking Firearms and Methamphetamine

body_text: BOSTON – A New York was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston to trafficking drugs and firearms. Jason Lebberes, 31, of Tuckahoe, N.Y., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to 121 months in prison and five years of supervised release. In October 2023, Lebberes pleaded guilty to one count of distributing more than 50 grams of methamphetamine; one count of transferring a firearm to an out-of-state resident; and one count of transferring a machinegun. “This defendant’s possession or sale of multiple machineguns including Glock switches and other machinegun conversion devices put deadly automatic weapons onto our streets, endangering countless people across Massachusetts. This stiff sentence sends the unmistakable message that if you traffic in deadly illegal firearms, you will be tracked down and held accountable,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Drugs and guns are a deadly combination,” said Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Office. “As methamphetamine seizures rise, DEA stands committed to keeping this highly addictive drug off the streets. Let this sentencing serve as warning to those who distribute poisons like methamphetamine, that DEA will aggressively pursue and hold you accountable. This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative law enforcement efforts in Massachusetts and our strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.” “Jason Lebberes’ sentence of 121 months should serve as a warning to those who intend to misuse the U.S. Mail for their criminal activity,” said Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward, Boston Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and our law enforcement partners are committed to protecting the communities we serve from those who would jeopardize the public by trafficking in guns and drugs which only serve to fuel the violence on our streets. “The outcome of this investigation and significant sentence is a testament to the successful collaboration between our federal and local law enforcement agencies,” said James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division. “The assembly of a ghost gun and “Glock Switch” into fully functioning, automatic weapon posed a serious threat to our communities. ATF has a firm stance and wants to make it clear that we will not tolerate firearms and narcotics trafficking which is fueling violent crime.” Lebberes sold more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, a privately manufactured firearm, commonly known as a “ghost gun” and a Glock switch. A Glock switch is a device that converts firearms into automatic weapons. The investigation revealed that Lebberes had sold numerous Glock switches to other customers in the past. During a search of Lebberes’ residence, numerous handguns, assault rifles and ammunition were recovered, several of which were privately manufactured. A video of Lebberes discharging a handgun out of his car window was also recovered during the investigation. Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, DEA SAC Boyle, USPIS INC Larco-Ward and ATF SAC Ferguson made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the New York State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan Panich of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects More Than $3.4 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2023

component: USAO - Illinois, Southern

body_text: FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. - The Southern District of Illinois collected $3,414,959.96 in criminal and civil actions in fiscal year 2023, U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe announced Thursday. Of this amount, $1,951,689.87 was collected in criminal actions and $1,463,270.09 was collected in civil actions. Additionally, Southern District of Illinois employees worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $4,148,633.35 in jointly pursued cases. Of this amount, $9,266.10 was collected in criminal actions and $4,139,367.25 was collected in civil actions. “Throughout the last fiscal year, federal prosecutors and financial litigation staff worked tirelessly to collect millions of dollars in restitution from individuals charged with fraud and other crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “These funds help support victims regain a sense of normalcy and offer assistance to law enforcement officers with their efforts to apprehend criminals.” In the largest civil settlement for FY 23, the Southern District of Illinois finalized a deal to recover $745,000 to resolve allegations about a migraine headache treatment device from Jet Medical Inc. Jet agreed to pay $200,000 to settle criminal allegations, and Jet and two related companies agreed to pay another $545,000 in a civil settlement. U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs. Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s office in southern Illinois, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $4,904,603 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2023. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.


title: Hampton Landlord Charged with Fraud, Threats, and Civil Rights Violations

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment yesterday against a Hampton-based landlord for using force and threats of force against African American victims, including a businessman, a city official in Newport News, and four tenants. The indictment further charged the landlord with defrauding tenants and the government to obtain rent relief benefits, housing assistance payments for public housing, and other funds to which he was not entitled. According to the indictment, David L. Merryman, 58, owns more than 60 rental properties in Hampton and Newport News. As alleged, Merryman repeatedly harassed his tenants with racist slurs, threats to kill or injure, and retaliatory eviction actions. The alleged threats and racial harassment were often highly graphic and included references to slavery and mocking comments about the Black Lives Matter movement. In addition, Merryman allegedly engaged in physical assaults and other threatening behavior towards tenants, including on one occasion striking a tenant in the face with a shovel and on another occasion attacking a tenant with the blade of a chainsaw while it was off. According to the indictment, Merryman also orchestrated a scheme to defraud the government and his tenants. For example, the indictment alleges that, to obtain housing-assistance payments from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Merryman repeatedly made false representations about the condition of his rental properties and whether he was receiving other payments that would be duplicative of federally funded rental assistance. Merryman also submitted fraudulent applications for rent-relief benefits made available during the COVID-19 pandemic by allegedly stealing the identities of his tenants and forging their signatures without their consent. In many cases, Merryman obtained significant sums of rent relief without telling the tenants, all the while evicting, or seeking to evict, the tenants for unpaid rent. As alleged, Merryman also defrauded tenants by obtaining money and property from them under false pretenses—primarily false representations that he would repair his properties or repay tenants for repairs they made, which served to induce tenants to pay him significant upfront fees for neglected, even uninhabitable, properties that Merryman never intended to improve. The indictment further alleges that Merryman’s conduct was part of a pattern in which he would demand significant initial fees or deposits from prospective renters and then subject those same tenants to racist and discriminatory practices, in part so they would leave the property, which would allow Merryman to start the cycle again with new tenants. Merryman is charged with ten counts of wire fraud, four counts of interfering with housing rights, two counts of interstate communications with threats to injure, six counts of theft of government money, four counts of making false statements to HUD, and four counts of aggravated identity theft. If convicted, Merryman faces a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison for each count of aggravated identity theft, and maximum terms ranging between one year and twenty years in prison on each of the remaining counts. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; and Rae Oliver Davis, Inspector General of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys D. Mack Coleman, Julie D. Podlesni, and Brian J. Samuels 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-4. An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. david_merryman_indictment.pdf


title: Third Aryan Brotherhood Prison Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Murder in Aid of Racketeering

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jason Corbett, 51, of Butte County, pleaded guilty Wednesday to murder in aid of racketeering as part of a long-running investigation into California Aryan Brotherhood prison gang, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, between 2011 and 2016, Aryan Brotherhood (AB) members and associates engaged in racketeering activity, committing multiple acts involving murder, conspiracies to murder, and drug trafficking crimes. The charges allege that AB members oversaw a significant heroin and methamphetamine trafficking operation from their California prison cells using smuggled cellphones to direct drug trafficking activities, order murders, and oversee other criminal activities inside and outside of the prisons. According to the plea agreement, on July 28, 2018, Corbett murdered an inmate at High Desert Prison as part of an AB-related killing. Corbett admitted that he committed the murder because the victim falsely claimed to be an AB member and had run up a significant drug debt at his previous prison – both violations of the AB’s expected codes of conduct. Corbett willfully, deliberately, and with premeditation, murdered the victim in order to maintain his status within the gang. This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Vallejo Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office, and the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Hitt, Ross Pearson, and David Spencer are prosecuting the case. U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller is scheduled to sentence Corbett on April 8, 2024. Corbett faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison. Three remaining defendants, Ronald Yandell, Billy Sylvester, and Danny Troxell are scheduled for trial in February 2024. The charges against them are only allegations; they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.


title: Texas Resident Sentenced  for Cares Act Fraud

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – BRIA PETERS , age 28, a resident of Houston, Texas, was sentenced to 5 five years probation on January 17, 2024 by U.S. District Court Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle after previously pleading guilty to making false statements related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. On March 27, 2020, The CARES Act established several new temporary programs and provided for the expansion of others to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Among these programs, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) authorized forgivable loans backed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to small businesses to retain workers and maintain payroll, make mortgage interest payments, lease payments, and utility payments. The PPP allows the interest and principal on the PPP loan to be forgiven if the business spends the loan proceeds on these expense items within a designated period of time after receiving the proceeds and uses at least a certain percentage of the PPP loan proceeds on payroll expenses. According to the court documents, PETERS made false statements to an approved lender on or about May 27, 2021, for the purpose of fraudulently obtaining a PPP loan. Consequently, PETERS later received a PPP loan totaling approximately $29,166.00. PETERS stated in her PPP application that in 2020, she owned a clothing business impacted by the pandemic when, in truth, she had no such business. In addition to 5 years probation, PETERS was ordered to pay $55,141 in restitution and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee . For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Amtrak Office of Inspector General – Criminal Investigations, in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit was in charge of the prosecution.


title: FedEx Package Containing Methamphetamine Intercepted Resulting in Federal Prison Sentence for Youngsville Man

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced the resolution of two cases involving drug trafficking in the Western District of Louisiana. United States District Judge David C. Joseph sentenced the following defendants yesterday. Lynol Christian , 43, of Lafayette, Louisiana , was sentenced to 156 months (13 years) in prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release, for attempted possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. According to information presented in court, on March 20, 2023, Christian traveled on a commercial airline from Baton Rouge to Los Angeles, California. While in California, Christian shipped a package containing methamphetamine via FedEx to an individual in Youngsville, Louisiana. The return label listed Christian’s own address, which is also in Youngsville. Christian returned on a commercial airline back to Baton Rouge and into the Western District of Louisiana on March 22, 2023. Employees with FedEx notified authorities of the suspicious package and notified law enforcement. The package was secured and opened and found to contain 2,255 grams of suspected methamphetamine in 5 plastic bags. The suspected narcotics were sent to the DEA Southeast Laboratory for analysis, and it was determined that the substances were in fact methamphetamine with a net weight of 2,228.3 grams. Christian was subsequently indicted and pleaded guilty to the charge on October 18, 2023. The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Department of Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel J. McCoy. In a separate and unrelated case, Dwayne Batiste , 51, of Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, was sentenced to 144 months (12 years), followed by 5 years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. On September 8, 2022, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at a residence on Gilbert Street in Lafayette. While searching in a bedroom of the residence, agents found documentation belonging to Batiste, including ledgers of narcotics transactions. A further search led agents to find a clear bag containing a brown substance which was later determined to be fentanyl, as well as a clear bag containing an off-white substance suspected to be heroin or cocaine. Agents also found in the residence and in Batiste’s vehicle over $13,000 in cash, digital scales and boxes of sandwich baggies. The suspected narcotics were sent to the Acadiana Crime Laboratory where they were confirmed positive for the presence of fentanyl with a neg weight of over 500 grams. Batiste was charged and pleaded guilty to knowing possessing the fentanyl with the intent to distribute it to another person. The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney LaDonte A. Murphy. # # #


title: Former Maryland Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty in False Return Scheme

component: Tax Division

body_text: A Minnesota woman, who previously ran a tax preparation business in Maryland, pleaded guilty today to aiding in the preparation of false tax returns. According to court documents and statements made in court, Kymberly Starr owned and operated The Tax Lady, also known as 5 Starr Business Solutions, a tax preparation business in Maryland. From 2013 to at least 2018, Starr inflated her clients’ tax refunds by preparing and submitting to the IRS false tax returns that claimed fraudulent tax deductions and fictitious business profits and losses. Starr’s conduct resulted in a loss to the IRS of at least $400,000. Additionally, in 2020 and 2021, Starr obtained over $83,000 in COVID-related Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans by submitting fabricated IRS forms containing purported business income from bogus businesses. Starr also filed a false claim, which included fabricated federal tax forms, for unemployment insurance with the Maryland Department of Labor from which she received over $55,000. Starr is scheduled to be sentenced on April 26 and faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison. She also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang for the District of Maryland will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Shawn Noud and Ezra Spiro of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case.


title: Kenyan Man Sentenced to Three Years in Federal Prison for Assaulting Federal Immigration Officers

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, ERICK GACHUHI WANJIKU , 42, of Kenya, was sentenced to serve 36 months in federal prison for assaulting federal officers, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. On June 6, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a two-count Indictment against Wanjiku, charging him with two counts of assault on two different federal immigration officers. In August 2023, Wanjiku was tried by a federal jury and found guilty on both counts. Evidence presented at trial indicated that on May 8, 2023, Wanjiku was moved from an Oklahoma Correctional Facility to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Removal Operations facility in Oklahoma City to be processed for immigration proceedings. Prior to being fingerprinted, Wanjiku kicked one deportation officer near his left knee and bit a second deportation officer before he was restrained and placed back in a cell. Court documents describe the bite marks as “clearly visible and bloody.” “Federal officers have the right to work without fear of assault or intimidation,” said United States Attorney Robert J. Troester. “We stand firmly behind our law enforcement partners and will hold accountable those who harm federal officers in the performance of their duty.” “Law enforcement officers put their lives on the line daily.” said Special Agent in Charge Lester R. Hayes Jr., Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Dallas. “This sentence reaffirms HSI’s role in prosecuting those who commit crimes against the men and women who dedicate themselves to enforcing the law.” At the sentencing hearing yesterday, U.S. District Judge David L. Russell sentenced Wanjiku to serve 36 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, Judge Russell noted Wanjiku’s history of violence and his lack of acceptance of responsibility in the case, as well as the need to protect the public and to impose just punishment for his conduct. Upon his release from prison, Wanjiku will be placed in ICE custody while he undergoes immigration proceedings. This case is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Joynes and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaleigh Blackwell prosecuted the case. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects $11.5 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2023

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore announced today that the Western District of Missouri collected $5,814,684 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2023. Of this amount, $4,453,163 was collected in criminal actions and $1,361,521 was collected in civil actions. Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s office in the Western District of Missouri, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $5,678,378 in asset forfeiture actions in Fiscal Year 2023. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes. “In 2023, the attorneys and support staff in our Monetary Penalties Unit worked diligently to collect nearly $11.5 million on behalf of taxpayers and victims of crime,” Moore said. “Our job doesn’t end when a defendant is sentenced or a civil case is settled,” Moore added. “I’m proud to say that over the past year, victims of fraud, sex trafficking, and other crimes have received much needed restitution for what they lost at the hands of criminal defendants. Our team seized assets and collected money judgments from criminals who attempted to profit from their illegal activities. And those who owed a debt to the United States were held accountable to pay what they owed.” Additionally, the Western District of Missouri worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $5,298,876 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. Of this amount, $37,515 was collected in criminal actions and $5,261,361 was collected in civil actions. The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.


title: Six Indicted for Interstate Theft Scheme Along East Coast

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: A five-count indictment was unsealed earlier today variously charging six defendants with interstate transportation of stolen property, interstate transportation of stolen motor vehicle and conspiracy counts, in connection with a 20-month scheme to steal rental cars from Hertz Global Holdings (Hertz) and other car companies, and merchandise from the retail stores Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (Lowe’s) and The Home Depot, Inc. (Home Depot). Defendants Christopher World, Lovell Ambrister and Hassen Lewis were arrested this morning, during which a gun with an extended magazine was found, and will be arraigned later today at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn before United States Magistrate Judge Marcia M. Henry. Defendants Trent Dance and Von Vincent are detained on other charges in Valhalla, New York and Auburn, New York, respectively, and they will be arrested and arraigned at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn at a later date. Defendant William Harvin is still at large. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the charges. “As alleged, the instruction manual for these defendants was simple: commit crimes at every stage, and repeat. They stole over $300,000 in cars to drive to stores, which they robbed of over $500,000 in merchandise – and replayed this scheme at least 130 times across the East Coast,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Let this serve as a warning: retail theft has real consequences.” Mr. Peace thanked the New York State Police; the Connecticut Department of Public Safety; the New York City Police Department; the Freeport Police Department, Freeport, New York; the South Burlington Police Department, South Burlington, Vermont; the Vestal Police Department, Vestal, New York; and the Wappingers Falls Police Department, Wappingers Falls, New York, for their assistance with the investigation. "These six defendants allegedly attempted to benefit by stealing from home improvement stores up and down the East Coast. Today they have found out what the FBI has proven repeatedly—crime doesn’t pay. The arrests serve as a warning to anyone who believes they can pull off and profit from robberies– the FBI will ensure your crime spree is brought to an end," stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Smith. As alleged in the government’s court filings, from about April 2022 to December 2023, the defendants stole rental cars from Hertz and others along the East Coast, drove those cars from New York to various branch stores of Lowe’s and Home Depot along the East Coast, and stole home improvement merchandise, often Lutron lighting products, for resale in New York. As a result of the scheme, the defendants together stole at least $516,000 in merchandise from 71 Lowe’s branches and 59 Home Depot branches in 13 states, spanning from South Carolina to Maine. At least 21 of the stores were located in the Eastern District of New York. Each of the defendants personally participated in dozens of the thefts, and many of the defendants face arrest warrants for their thefts in multiple states, including Pennsylvania, Virginia and South Carolina. The defendants also stole at least $320,000 in rental cars in four states, including New York. The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The defendants face a maximum of 10 years’ imprisonment for each of the interstate transportation counts and a maximum of 5 years’ imprisonment for the conspiracy count. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorney Victor Zapana is in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Eileen Rosado. The Defendants : CHRISTOPHER WORLD (also known as “Birdo”) Age: 22 Brooklyn, New York LOVELL AMBRISTER (also known as “Stali”) Age: 22 Bronx, New York TRENT DANCE (also known as “Tre Savv”) Age: 21 Brooklyn, New York WILLIAM HARVIN (also known as “Pook”) Age: 24 Brooklyn, New York HASSEN LEWIS (also known as “Fan Boy”) Age: 22 Brooklyn, New York VON VINCENT Age: 22 Brooklyn, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-7 (AMD)


title: Baton Rouge Man Sentenced to 33 Months in Federal Prison for Possessing Contraband in Prison

component: USAO - Louisiana, Middle

body_text: United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Dervelle T. Barnes, age 37, a resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 33 months in federal prison following his conviction for possessing contraband in prison. The Court further sentenced Barnes to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment. According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, Barnes was arrested on May 18, 2022, pursuant to a federal arrest warrant at the Russell B. Long Federal Building and United States Courthouse. No contraband was found during initial searches of his person, and he was transported to the West Baton Rouge Detention Center (“WBRDC”). The following morning, however, two WBRDC deputies entered Barnes’s dorm-style cellblock due to a smoke odor. A deputy walked by Barnes, who was asleep, and observed a clear plastic bag containing white pills near Barnes’ stomach. During a search, deputies seized the bag and pills. The pills were submitted to the Louisiana State Police Crime Laboratory for testing, and lab personnel determined that the pills contained oxycodone and acetaminophen. In connection with his plea, Barnes admitted that he knowingly possessed oxycodone while in prison. This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshal’s Service and West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alan A. Stevens, who also serves as Senior Litigation Counsel.


title: Exporter sentenced to prison for shipping heavy equipment to Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA - Jalal Hajavi has been sentenced for conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations, smuggling goods from the U.S., unlawfully exporting and reexporting goods from the U.S. to Iran without a license, and unlawfully engaging in transactions and dealings based on his participation in a scheme to export unlawfully heavy equipment from the U.S. to Iran by routing the shipments though the United Arab Emirates (“UAE”). “Hajavi’s conduct was particularly egregious because he was previously informed on at least two occasions that his conduct was prohibited,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Instead of heeding the warnings, he continued to divert U.S. goods to Iran. Trade sanctions against Iran comprise a critical component of U.S. foreign policy designed to keep our country and citizens safe. Criminal actors like Hajavi, who seek to profit by evading these prohibitions and jeopardize our national security, will be prosecuted.” “Mr. Hajavi illegally shipped industrial equipment to the Iranian regime, smuggled restricted goods through the UAE to Iran, and caused a shipping company to submit false information to the U.S. government. He has been held to account for his crimes,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “As this case shows, the Justice Department remains committed to enforcing U.S. sanctions and export control laws to deny Iran the commodities that fuel its malign activities abroad and threaten our nation’s security.” “This sentencing is the result of a highly successful joint investigative effort with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia that disrupted an illicit Iranian procurement scheme,” said John Johnson, Special Agent in Charge, Office of Export Enforcement’s Miami Field Office. “OEE is fully committed to protecting national security by denying U.S. commodities to U.S. sanctioned countries.” According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges, and other information presented in court: Jalal Hajavi and a co-conspirator located in Iran conspired to evade U.S. sanctions by exporting U.S. heavy machinery through the UAE to Iran without first obtaining the required licenses from the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”). Hajavi, through his company JSH Heavy Equipment, LLC, located heavy equipment for sale in the U.S., such as bobcats and wheel loaders, and sent information about his findings to the co-conspirator in Iran. Hajavi purchased the items from U.S. sellers and used freight forwarding companies to ship the heavy equipment from the U.S. to the UAE, where his Iranian co-conspirator diverted the machinery to Iran in circumvention of the U.S. export license requirement. In addition to evading OFAC licensing requirements, Hajavi concealed his activities with the co-conspirator by causing false information to be entered into the Automated Export System (“AES”), a U.S. government database containing information about exports from the U.S. Hajavi falsely claimed that the items were destined for his supposed UAE customers, which typically were general trading companies located in free trade zones in the UAE, but in reality, the items were destined for Iran. At one point, Hajavi met with a Special Agent from the Bureau of Industry and Security who informed Hajavi about the U.S. sanctions against Iran, including the prohibition to transship U.S. goods through third countries to Iran. Undeterred, Hajavi continued his unlawful conduct. One of the items that Hajavi purchased and unlawfully caused to be shipped was an Ingersoll Rand Blasthole Drill, which is a type of heavy machinery used in construction to drill holes in the ground usually filled with controlled charges. Hajavi purchased the drill from a U.S. company and, as part of a sham transaction, purportedly sold the drill to a UAE company. Hajavi hired a U.S. freight forwarder to arrange the drill’s export from the U.S. to the UAE During the shipping process, the freight forwarder submitted information provided by Hajavi to AES about the shipment. Hajavi falsely told the freight forwarder that the UAE company was the ultimate consignee and provided the false ultimate destination of the UAE, when Hajavi knew that the Iranian co-conspirator was the true buyer and that Iran was the ultimate delivery destination. The Iranian co-conspirator subsequently shipped the drill from the UAE to Iran. Jalal Hajavi, 60, of Sterling, Virginia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas W. Thrash to two years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. He was convicted by a jury on September 11, 2023. The U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Export Enforcement conducted the investigation. The Federal Bureau of Investigation provided assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracia M. King and Trial Attorney Emma Dinan Ellenrieder of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section prosecuted the case. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Georgia Owner of Long-Term Care Facilities Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Attempting to Obstruct IRS

body_text: A Georgia man was sentenced today to two years in prison for obstructing the IRS in its efforts to collect employment taxes. According to court documents and statements made in court, from at least 2003, Douglas K. Mittleider, of Adairsville, operated long-term care facilities throughout the United States and was responsible for paying the IRS the federal income and Social Security and Medicare taxes withheld from employees’ wages. In June 2004, the IRS assessed against him personally the employment taxes Mittleider had not paid — also known as the Trust Fund Recovery Penalty. Beginning in at least November 2011, Mittleider took multiple steps to conceal business funds and impede the IRS’s ability to collect his outstanding tax liability. Among other things, Mittleider directed the commingling of funds among businesses he controlled and used funds for purposes other than to pay the IRS. Mittleider also caused the creation of new operating companies and bank accounts to make it more difficult for the IRS to locate assets and levy accounts. In total, Mittleider’s conduct caused a tax loss to the IRS of more than $17 million. In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Thomas W. Thrash Jr. for the Northern District of Georgia ordered Mittleider to serve one year of supervised release and to pay $17,080,566 in restitution to the United States. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Senior Litigation Counsel Sean Beaty and Trial Attorneys Ashley Stein and Andres Chinchilla of the Justice Department’s Tax Division prosecuted the case.


title: Businessman Arrested for Scheme to Illegally Export Semiconductors and Other Controlled Technology to Russia

body_text: BROOKLYN, NY – A complaint was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Ilya Kahn, a citizen of the United States, Israel, and Russia, for his alleged involvement in a multi-million dollar scheme to secure and illegally export sensitive technology from the United States for the benefit of a Russian business whose clients include elements of the Russian military and the Federal Security Service (FSB), the main successor agency to the Soviet Union’s KGB. The Russian business, Joint Stock Company Research and Development Center ELVEES (Elvees), was sanctioned by the U.S. government in 2022 because of its critical role in facilitating Russia’s military and its invasion of Ukraine. The complaint charges Kahn with conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act. Kahn was arrested yesterday in Los Angeles, California, and will make his initial appearance today in the Central District of California. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Matthew G. Olsen, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s National Security Division, James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Jonathan Carson, Special Agent-in-Charge, U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement, Bureau of Industry and Security, New York Field Office, announced the arrest and charges. Mr. Peace extended his appreciation to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California and the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office for their assistance in this case. “As alleged, Kahn illegally sent specialized technology from the United States to a Russian semiconductor manufacturer with ties to multiple other sanctioned Russian entities, and did so by circumventing U.S. export laws and regulations,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Evading U.S export regulations to send goods to benefit the Russian military complex presents a danger to our national security and our allies and partners abroad. We will continue to use all of our law enforcement and national security tools to hold these enablers, both individuals and corporations, accountable for flouting the rule of law.” “Mr. Kahn stands accused of repeatedly exporting sensitive technology to Russia before, during, and after Russia launched its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine,” stated Assistant Attorney General Olsen. “Violations of U.S. sanctions and export control laws that aid Russia and other hostile powers endanger our nation’s security and will be met with the full force of the Justice Department.” “Illegally exporting semiconductors and other sensitive technology to a foreign adversary is not a trivial offense but a serious violation of American national security. Ilya Kahn’s alleged actions – utilizing a nefarious web of companies to export sensitive controlled technology to the Russian military and intelligence services – directly harmed the interests and security of the United States and our allies. The FBI, as we work to protect the United States, will continue to ensure that anyone willing to evade sanctions to aid hostile nations faces the consequences in the criminal justice system,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Smith. “Sophisticated illegal schemes such as this that violate our nation’s export control laws in effort to facilitate Russia’s war will not be tolerated. The Office of Export Enforcement will leverage our unique authorities and continue to work with our law enforcement partners to disrupt and arrest the perpetrators of these illicit schemes,” stated Department of Commerce Special Agent-in-Charge Carson. Kahn is the owner of Senesys Incorporated based in California, and Sensor Design Association with a contact address in Brooklyn, New York. As alleged in the complaint and other public filings, Kahn operated these two businesses—ostensibly involved in “security software development” and the testing of silicon wafers for military, avionics, and space users—through which he engaged in a years-long conspiracy to acquire and export sensitive and sophisticated electronics from the United States to Elvees in Russia without securing the appropriate licenses. For example, in 2019, Kahn sent multiple U.S.-origin microcontrollers to Elvees, and in 2022, Kahn sent U.S.-origin network interface controllers and a radio-frequency transmitter to Elvees by way of a Hong Kong-based shipping company. Each of these items required an export license due to national security and anti-terrorism reasons, which Kahn did not obtain. Kahn also arranged for Elvees to continue to receive semiconductors after Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine increased the difficulty of shipping semiconductors to Russia. These semiconductors can be used for, among other things, communications systems, GPS receivers, and equipment for unmanned aerial vehicles, also known as drones. After a company in Taiwan that manufactured Elvees-designed semiconductors refused to ship those semiconductors to Russia following the invasion of Ukraine, Kahn arranged for the semiconductors to be sent to the United States and then re-exported them to Russia often through a shipping company based at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York. Kahn also used Hong Kong and other locations around the world as transshipment points in order to evade U.S. export laws and regulations and conceal the Russian end users. Even after Elvees was sanctioned by the U.S. government for its role in developing electronics components for the Russian military, Kahn continued to work with Elvees. In May 2022, Kahn emailed a Taiwan manufacturer design guidance for an Elvees-branded microchip. Subsequently, Kahn shipped thousands of units of this microchip to a Hong Kong shipping company, and then to a company located in the mainland of the People’s Republic of China. Kahn noted in communications with the Hong Kong shipping company that he received a “call from Russia” about the PRC business to which he was directing the goods. Kahn’s export activity for the benefit of Elvees dates to at least 2012, and he received more than $50 million from Elvees and related entities between 2012 and 2022. The charge in the complaint is an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of the charge, Kahn faces up to 20 years in prison. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Craig R. Heeren, Artie McConnell, and Matthew Skurnik are in charge of the prosecution, along with Trial Attorney Scott Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, with assistance from Litigation Analysts Joseph Levin and Mary Clare McMahon. Today’s actions were coordinated through the Justice and Commerce Departments’ Disruptive Technology Strike Force and the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture. The Disruptive Technology Strike Force is an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains, and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation states. Task Force KleptoCapture is an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export restrictions and economic countermeasures that the United States has imposed, along with its allies and partners, in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. The Defendant : ILYA KAHN Age: 66 Israel, Brooklyn, NY; Los Angeles, California E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-MJ-1133


title: Fargo Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Tamper with a Federal Witness

component: USAO - North Dakota

body_text: FARGO – United States Attorney Mac Schneider, District of North Dakota, announced that on January 18, 2024, Daniel Saydee Cisse , age 19, Fargo, ND, was sentenced by Chief District Judge Peter Welte to 11 years in federal prison and five years supervised released for Conspiracy to Tamper with a Witness. On September 25, 2023, Cisse pleaded guilty for his role in assaulting a federal witness in the Cass County jail on January 14, 2023. As noted at the plea hearing, co-conspirators planned and arranged to assault the federal witness with the intent to influence, delay or prevent the witness from testifying in an official proceeding and to prevent him from providing information to law enforcement regarding the drug-related homicide of Santino Marial. Marial was shot to death in Fargo, ND. on August 28, 2020. Co-defendants Jesse James Burnett and Shaquiel Anthony Mendez are currently set for trial on July 16, 2024. This case was investigated by Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Fargo Police Department, Cass County Sheriff’s Department, and the Cass County State’s Attorney’s Office. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher C. Myers and Jacob T. Rodenbiker. # # #


title: Former Pfizer Employee Convicted At Trial Of Insider Trading

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that a jury returned a guilty verdict against AMIT DAGAR for insider trading and conspiracy to commit insider trading. The defendant was found guilty following a two-week trial before U.S. District Judge Andrew L. Carter. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As the jury’s swift verdict shows, the proof at trial was overwhelming that Amit Dagar stole information about Paxlovid from his employer, Pfizer, and used that illegal edge to profit in the stock market. Combatting the corruption of our financial markets continues to be a top priority of this Office. Would-be insider traders tempted by the prospect of easy money should know that the Southern District of New York is watching, we’ll catch you, and we’ll make sure you pay the price for violating the law.” According to the Indictment, statements made in public court proceedings and filings, and the evidence at trial: In November 2021, DAGAR participated in an insider trading scheme to reap illicit profits from options trading based on inside information about the results of clinical trials of Paxlovid, a medicine used to treat COVID-19. DAGAR was an employee of Pfizer Inc. (“Pfizer”) and assisted in managing the data analysis in certain clinical drug trials. On November 4, 2021, DAGAR learned that a Pfizer trial of the drug Paxlovid, a medicine designed to treat mild to severe COVID‑19 infection, had produced positive results. The results were confidential and meant to remain so until Pfizer publicized them on November 5, 2021. Later that same day, and while the results remained confidential, DAGAR purchased short-dated, out-of-the-money Pfizer call options that expired days and weeks later. DAGAR also tipped a close friend, who also purchased short-dated, out-of-the-money Pfizer call options. The following day, on November 5, 2021, Pfizer publicly released results of its Paxlovid study prior to the market opening. That same day, following the publication of the positive results, Pfizer’s stock price increased substantially, opening — and eventually closing — more than 10% higher than the prior day’s closing price. In the following weeks, DAGAR sold his Pfizer call options for profits of more than $270,000. * * * DAGAR, 44, of Hillsborough, New Jersey, was convicted of one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Williams also thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which has filed a parallel civil action, for its assistance and cooperation in the investigation. This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alex Rossmiller and Justin V. Rodriguez are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Madeline Sonderby and Anna Gamboa.


title: Two Men Sentenced on Federal Narcotics and Money Laundering Violations

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – On January 17, 2024, two individuals were sentenced to lengthy terms of imprisonment by United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand on their convictions for violating federal narcotics and money laundering laws related to a nine-month Title III wiretap investigation into drug trafficking in and around the counties of Jefferson, Clearfield, and Allegheny, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. George Charlan, 36, a former resident of Grants Pass, Oregon, was sentenced to 15 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release, and Derek Hillebrand, 27, a former resident of Troutville, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 18 years of imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release. According to information presented to the court, Charlan and Hillebrand were key members of a cross-country narcotics distribution conspiracy. Charlan orchestrated a shipment of over 280 pounds of methamphetamine and over 100 kilograms of marijuana from California and Nevada to individuals in Jefferson County, Clearfield County, and Allegheny County. Of that amount, Hillebrand received and distributed at least 220 pounds of methamphetamine and 100 kilograms of marijuana to his customers, who subsequently distributed the narcotics to their customers throughout the Western District of Pennsylvania. Charlan then directed Hillebrand to mail large amounts of United States currency (representing drug proceeds that were used to purchase additional narcotics) from the Western District of Pennsylvania to California, and one of his co-conspirators to transport the remaining drug profits to Charlan. In total, Hillebrand mailed over one million dollars in United States currency to California during the course of the conspiracy. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan D. Lusty prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Services, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Police, and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Charlan and Hillebrand, with additional assistance from the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, and the Clarion Borough Police Department. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Woman Sentenced for Conspiracy to Murder Her Mother

component: Criminal Division

body_text: An Illinois woman was sentenced yesterday to 26 years in prison for her role in a conspiracy to murder her mother while they vacationed in Bali, Indonesia, in August 2014. According to court documents, Heather L. Mack, 28, originally from Chicago, admitted in a plea agreement that she and her boyfriend, Tommy Schaefer, conspired to kill Mack’s mother while Mack and her mother vacationed in Bali. Mack arranged for Schaefer to travel to Bali using her mother’s credit card. After Schaefer arrived, Mack and Schaefer exchanged a series of text messages about how and when to kill Mack’s mother, which included a discussion about suffocating or beating the victim. Shortly after these text messages were exchanged, on Aug. 12, 2014, Schaefer entered the victim’s hotel room and, while Mack was present, brutally beat and killed the victim. Mack and Schaefer then placed the victim’s body into a suitcase and tried to leave the hotel in a taxi. When the driver of the taxi refused to accept their fare, Mack and Schaefer fled the hotel and abandoned the suitcase containing the victim’s body in the taxicab. Mack and Schaefer were arrested by Indonesian police the day after the murder at another hotel in Bali. “Heather Mack planned to violently murder her own mother while on vacation in Bali,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “In Bali, Mack stood by while her mother was savagely beaten to death and then callously and unsuccessfully tried to dispose of her mother’s body. This significant sentence holds the defendant to account for this heinous crime. The department will continue to pursue justice for Americans, both at home and abroad.” “The successful prosecution of the defendant’s heinous crime was the result of exhaustive investigative work by law enforcement in the United States and Indonesia,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual for the Northern District of Illinois. “The sentence imposed sends a message that the U.S. justice system remains a powerful tool to hold accountable those who harm American citizens abroad.” “The FBI works diligently with its international law enforcement partners to bring perpetrators of violent crime to justice and closure to victims’ families,” said Assistant Director Michael Nordwall of the FBI's Criminal Investigative Division. “The sentencing demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to investigating violent crime—no matter how long or how far it takes us.” “This case is the result of the FBI’s unwavering commitment to seeking justice for all Americans throughout the world,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler Jr. of the FBI Chicago Field Office. “We will never stop working with our partners to hold violent offenders accountable, no matter where in the world they commit their crimes.” In 2015, Mack and Schaefer were convicted in Indonesia of local criminal charges related to the murder. Mack was sentenced to 10 years in prison and released after serving seven years. Schaefer was sentenced to 18 years in prison and currently remains imprisoned in Indonesia. In November 2021, upon arrival in the United States, Mack was arrested on U.S. federal charges relating to the murder. Schaefer was also charged in the U.S. indictment, and those charges remain pending against him. Mack pleaded guilty on June 16, 2023, to one count of conspiracy to kill a U.S. national. The FBI Chicago Field Office investigated the case, with valuable assistance from the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the FBI Legal Attaché Office in Jakarta, Indonesia. Senior Trial Attorney Frank G. Rangoussis of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann Marie E. Ursini for the Northern District of Illinois prosecuted the case.


title: Leon County Sex Offender Found Guilty Of New Child Pornography Offense

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Andrew John Ewing, 39, of Tallahassee, Florida, was found guilty by a federal jury for possessing images and videos of child pornography. The guilty verdict returned on Wednesday afternoon, at the conclusion of a two-day trial, was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. Between October 21, 2022, and November 3, 2022, a Tallahassee Police Department detective on the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force conducted a proactive investigation into the peer-to-peer file-sharing network called BitTorrent to identify users who possessed child pornography material which was available for sharing. Ewing’s computer was identified as a user who had multiple child pornography image and video files available for download. Upon further investigation, it was determined that Ewing resided in Leon County but outside of the city limits, so the case was referred to the Leon County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) for further investigation. LCSO deputies—who were also Task Force Officers with Homeland Security Investigations—obtained a search warrant for Ewing’s residence and electronic devices and executed it in early 2023. LCSO’s digital forensic specialist conducted a forensic examination of Ewing’s devices and discovered that several of them contained child pornography depicting children as young as 6 years of age engaged in sexually explicit conduct or who were lewdly exhibiting their genitals. Additionally, investigators discovered evidence of Ewing’s Internet search history which showed that he was specifically seeking child pornography. The jury also heard evidence that in 2014, Ewing was investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for using BitTorrent to possess and share child pornography depicting children under 13 years of age, and that Ewing was convicted of ten counts of possession of child pornography in Leon County in 2016. Sentencing is scheduled for April 11, 2024, at 1:00 p.m., at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before United States District Judge Robert L. Hinkle. Based on his prior child sex offense conviction, Ewing faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years in federal prison, with a maximum of 20 years imprisonment, followed by a term of 5 years to life of supervised release. This conviction was the result of an investigation conducted by the Tallahassee Police Department, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Doctor sentenced in dark web murder-for-hire plot

body_text: ATLANTA – James Wan has been sentenced for paying a hitman he found on the dark web to murder his girlfriend. “This defendant believed he could mask his homicidal intentions by using electronic means,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “By using the dark web to conceal his search for someone to kill his girlfriend, Wan expected to evade detection, even going as far as using crypto currency to pay for the crime. While criminals regularly search for new ways to harm their victims, our law enforcement partners constantly adapt their methods to identify them and bring them to justice.” "Despite his cowardly concealment on the dark web, Wan’s cold hearted murderous plot was averted due to the exceptional work of our team. He will now face the full consequences of the criminal justice system,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. "This sentencing shows that the FBI will not tolerate heinous acts of violence and will go to great lengths to protect our citizens.” According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: On April 18, 2022, while in the Northern District of Georgia, Wan accessed a dark web marketplace from his cellular telephone and submitted an order to have a hitman murder his girlfriend. The order included the victim’s name, address, Facebook account, license plate, and car description. In his request, Wan stated: “Can take wallet phone and car. Shoot and go. Or take car.” Wan then electronically transferred a 50 percent downpayment of approximately $8,000 worth of Bitcoin to the dark web marketplace. Two days later, Wan messaged the marketplace’s administrator, stating that the transferred Bitcoin had not shown up in his escrow account on the site. The next day, the marketplace administrator asked Wan for the Bitcoin address to which Wan had sent the payment. In response, Wan identified the Bitcoin wallet address and provided a screenshot of the transaction. When the administrator said that the address Wan provided was not in their system, Wan replied, “I guess I lost $8k. I’m sending $8k to escrow now.” Wan then electronically transferred an additional Bitcoin payment worth approximately $8,000 to the marketplace. The administrator confirmed the new address was correct and that the Bitcoin had arrived in the escrow account. The administrator stated that they were proceeding with Wan’s order for a hit and asked whether Wan wanted it done as an “accident or normal shooting.” Wan responded, “accident is better.” About a week later, on April 29, 2022, Wan electronically transferred another payment of approximately $8,000 worth of Bitcoin to the dark web marketplace to ensure his escrow account contained the total required to complete the order. Shortly thereafter, Wan posted the following in a forum on the dark web marketplace: “How soon should work be done? I have submitted an order and curious how quickly it should be carried out? Is there a way I can find out any progress? If there is anyone in my location?” On May 10, 2022, after the value of Bitcoin dropped, Wan electronically transferred another payment of approximately $1,200 worth of Bitcoin to the marketplace to ensure his escrow account still contained the total required to complete the order. After learning about the threat to the victim’s life, FBI special agents notified the victim, provided her protection, and questioned Wan. Wan admitted that he had placed the order for the murder, made the payments, and checked the status of the order daily on the dark web marketplace. Records from Wan’s cellular telephone and his Bitcoin wallet corroborated Wan’s confession. After speaking with FBI special agents, Wan canceled the order on the dark web marketplace. James Wan, 54, of Duluth, Georgia, has been sentenced to seven years, three months in prison to be followed by two years of supervised release. Wan was convicted on these charges on October 17, 2023, after he pleaded guilty. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bret R. Hobson is prosecuting the case. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: South Georgia Waste Collection Site Closed, Company Sentenced for Improperly Storing Hazardous Chemicals

component: USAO - Georgia, Middle

body_text: ALBANY, Ga. – A New Jersey-based hazardous waste collection and disposal corporation with locations in Valdosta, Georgia, and Lumberton, North Carolina, was sentenced in federal court for violating federal law in its handling of dangerous chemicals. Care Environmental Corporation, through its authorized representative Francis J. McKenna, Jr., was sentenced to five years of probation, a $50,000 fine and $135,0000 restitution for remediation and cleanup by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Hugh Lawson on Jan. 17, after it previously pleaded guilty to one count of knowingly storing carbon disulfide, a hazardous material, without a permit on Aug. 14, 2023. “Care Environmental Corporation put Valdosta residents and the South Georgia ecosystem at risk when it failed to properly dispose of hazardous waste and then compounded that failure after state and federal authorities highlighted its wrongdoings and offered a plan to correct its actions,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Working with our federal, state, and local partners, our office will hold corporations accountable for criminal actions which hurt the environment and put people at risk.” “Improperly handling and storing hazardous waste not only violates environmental regulations but places surrounding communities at risk of an accidental release, explosion or worse,” said Special Agent in Charge Charles Carfagno of EPA-CIDs Regional Office in Atlanta, GA. “I hope this sentencing reminds all those that mishandle hazardous waste that EPA and its partners will work to hold wrongdoers accountable to the fullest extent of the law.” “This case demonstrates how local, state, and federal agencies work together to uphold and enforce laws designed to protect human health and the environment. The Georgia Environmental Protection Division appreciates and would like to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of the staff who collectively held Care Environmental Corporation accountable for its actions and developed plans to remediate this facility. Such blatant violations of our environmental laws pose serious risk to the surrounding community and to the natural resources of the State of Georgia and must be redressed,” said Sara Lips, Director of Communications and Community Engagement, Georgia DNR Environmental Protection Division. According to court documents, Care—a hazardous waste disposal corporation headquartered in Hackettstown, New Jersey—leased a warehouse in Valdosta from 2004 to 2019, where they collected and stored pesticides, poisons, chemicals and other wastes collected from homes and generators throughout the eastern United States. McKenna is the sole officer, director, owner and operator of Care. In Dec. 2018, Care ceased receiving materials at the facility pursuant to a voluntary closure and a 12-month plan entered into with the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (GAEPD) that called for Care to properly dispose of all of the hazardous materials stored at the facility. In connection with that plan, CARE underwent regular inspections of the facility by GAEPD and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and made regular reports to GAEPD and EPA that reflected the amount of the stored hazardous waste that had been shipped for disposal and the amount remaining. During that time, Care continued to store the waste, including hazardous waste materials. An inspection of the Valdosta facility in Oct. 2019 found approximately 2,100 55-gallon drums, 200 large totes, and two storage tanks containing waste substances in the warehouse. GAEPD and EPA Emergency Response Coordinator inspectors observed improperly stored hazardous materials inside the warehouse and office areas of the building that presented a threat to human health and the environment, and serious fire and explosion hazards. The integrity of a number of the drums and totes were compromised, resulting in leaking and potential spillage. Inspectors found a large jug containing carbon disulfide, a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) listed hazardous waste. The knowing storage of the carbon disulfide in the amount found at the warehouse was in violation of the provisions of RCRA. Inspectors also found quantities of various other chemicals, including red and yellow phosphorus, carbon tetrachloride, hydrogen sulfide, cyanide, mercuric cyanide and elemental mercury. The warehouse was shut down in Dec. 2019. The condition of the warehouse resulted in remediation efforts by the EPA, which included containment and cleanup. CARE operated another warehouse facility in Lumberton, North Carolina, that also required remediation and cleanup. The cost of remediation and cleanup was $43,625.28 for Valdosta and $90,590.70 for Lumberton, North Carolina, for a total of $134,215.98. The case was investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division (EPA CID) and the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (GAEPD). Criminal Chief Leah McEwen prosecuted the case for the Government.


title: Tarrant County man indicted for trafficking fentanyl through the mail

body_text: PLANO, Texas – A Fort Worth man has been indicted for federal drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today. Jimmie Jalen Humphries, 28, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in November 2023, charging him with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Humphries made his initial appearance on January17, 2024 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kimberly C. Priest Johnson. Humphries is set for a detention hearing before Judge Johnson on January 22. According to the indictment and information presented in court, in April 2023, Humphries mailed approximately 5,000 fentanyl pills from Frisco, Texas to the Washington, DC area. Investigators from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration later identified Humphries as the source of the fentanyl. Humphries was on supervised release for federal firearms violations out of Michigan at the time of the alleged offense. During his arrest, a search warrant was executed on Humphries’ residence, resulting in the seizure of fentanyl pills, large sums of U.S. currency, ammunition, and extended high-capacity pistol magazines. If convicted, Humphries faces from 10 years to life in federal prison. This case is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lesley Brooks. A grand jury indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###