title: North Carolina Auto Parts Seller and Its Owner to Pay $10M for Making, Selling and Installing Emissions Defeat Devices on Motor Vehicles

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: North Carolina automotive parts manufacturer and seller, Rudy’s Performance Parts Inc. (Rudy’s), and its owner, Aaron Rudolf, have agreed to pay a total of $10 million in criminal fines and civil penalties for manufacturing, selling and installing devices, commonly known as “defeat devices,” used to remove or disable required emissions controls in motor vehicles. Rudy’s pleaded guilty and was sentenced today in federal court in Washington, D.C., for conspiring to violate the Clean Air Act. U.S. District Court Judge Trevor N. McFadden for the District of Columbia ordered Rudy’s to pay a criminal fine of $2.4 million and to complete a three-year period of organizational probation, consistent with a plea agreement. Rudolf, sole owner and chief executive officer of Rudy’s, previously pleaded guilty for conspiring to violate the Clean Air Act by tampering with monitoring devices on approximately 300 diesel trucks, which involved the installation of defeat devices on those trucks. He was sentenced in April to three years of probation and ordered to pay a $600,000 criminal fine. Separate from the criminal actions, the Justice Department, on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), filed a civil suit in 2022 against Rudy’s and Rudolf for violating the Clean Air Act by manufacturing, selling and installing defeat devices and failing to adequately respond to the EPA’s formal requests for information. Under a consent decree filed July 29, Rudy’s and Rudolf will pay a $7 million civil penalty for those violations. The consent decree would also prohibit them from making, selling, offering to sell and installing defeat devices, transferring intellectual property that would allow others to make or sell defeat devices and investing in or profiting from defeat devices manufactured or sold by other businesses. The decree is subject to court approval. “Defeat devices, such as those sold by Rudy’s, can lead to pollution at high levels that pose health risks and harm the environment,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “This plea agreement and civil settlement show that we will take strong action to enforce the Clean Air Act and emissions controls requirements for motor vehicles.” “For too many years, companies like Rudy’s have installed illegal defeat devices to evade the public health protections of the Clean Air Act, to the detriment of communities across America,” said Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Today’s announcement demonstrates that EPA will vigorously pursue criminal and civil penalties until this blatant illegal behavior comes to an end.” “Those selling defeat devices are willing to pollute the environment so that they can personally profit,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “Today’s sentencing makes clear that there will be significant consequences for those who traffic in these devices. Anyone considering peddling or installing these devices is on notice of the substantial costs of doing so.” “The Clean Air Act’s protections are essential for the health and safety of our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston for the Middle District of North Carolina. “Tampering with emissions controls adds excess pollutants to the air we breathe and harms both public health and the environment. Settlements like these are essential to hold entities who violate the Clean Air Act accountable and to prevent harmful air pollution.” According to court documents in the criminal case, Rudy’s sold defeat devices, known as delete tuners, which tampered with the on-board diagnostic systems (OBDs) of vehicles. Rudy’s top selling product was the Mini Maxx delete tuner originally manufactured by another company, identified in court documents as “Company A.” Rudy’s also sold the XRT Pro, another Company A delete tuner. After Company A stopped making these tuners, Rudy’s conspired with others to manufacture imitation Company A tuners. Rudy’s reached an agreement with a software technician to convert certain tuners into imitation Company A tuners. That agreement ran from July 2015 through December 2016, when the software technician stopped converting tuners. After that, Rudy’s manufactured the imitation delete tuners in-house using a laptop computer that Rudy’s purchased for $850,000. The laptop contained software to convert tuners into imitation Company A tuners. In-house manufacturing lasted from about December 2016 through July 2018. In total, Rudy’s sold approximately 43,900 imitation tuners, generating about $33 million in revenue. The civil lawsuit alleges that from at least 2014 through mid-2019, Rudy’s and Rudolf manufactured and sold over 250,000 products designed to remove or disable EPA-mandated emissions controls. These products included hardware parts such as plates that block a vehicle’s exhaust gas recirculation system and pipes that replace pollution treatment components in a vehicle’s exhaust system. Disabling or removing emissions controls and tampering with the OBD of a diesel truck causes its emissions — including nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, particulate matter and non-methane hydrocarbons — to increase significantly. Diesel exhaust is a mobile source air toxic because it poses cancer and noncancer health risks. In the civil complaint, the EPA estimates that the number of products sold by Rudy’s amounted to adding over 1 million vehicles’ worth of pollution to America’s roads. The $7 million that Rudy’s and Rudolf will pay pursuant to the consent decree was based on their financial capability. The EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division investigated the criminal case. Senior Counsel Krishna S. Dighe and Trial Attorney Stephen J. Foster of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s (ENRD) Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer L. Blackwell for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the criminal case. Senior Counsel Elizabeth L. Loeb of ENRD’s Environmental Enforcement Section, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cassie Crawford and Rebecca Mayer for the Middle District of North Carolina and Attorney-Adviser Lauren Tozzi of EPA’s Air Enforcement Division are handling the civil case. The consent decree was lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. It is subject to a 30-day public comment period and approval by the Court. A copy of the consent decree and information on submitting comments is available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees . Stopping the manufacture, sale, and installation of illegal delete devices is a priority for the EPA. You can learn more about the EPA’s criminal enforcement actions on defeat devices here and here .


title: Tuscaloosa Woman Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison Following Federal Drug Conviction

component: USAO - Alabama, Middle

body_text: MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA – On September 9, 2024, a federal judge ordered that 30-year-old Teaira Nishara Robbins, from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, receive a sentence of 87 months in prison for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin P. Davidson. Following her prison sentence, Robbins will be on supervised release for three years. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court records and statements made in open court, on December 18, 2022, at 3:30 a.m., deputies observed a vehicle pull into the parking lot of a closed business in Elmore County. The location is within a mile of three state correctional facilities and the area was known for activity relating to the introduction of illegal narcotics into the nearby prisons. Two individuals exited the vehicle and placed what appeared to be bags into the car’s trunk. Deputies then made contact with the vehicle’s occupants and identified Robbins as the driver. Upon searching the vehicle, deputies found packages of marijuana and methamphetamine in the trunk, along with various other contraband. State charges are pending for the other individuals involved in this investigation. During her plea hearing on January 19, 2024, Robbins admitted that she possessed methamphetamine with the intent to distribute the illegal drug. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Elmore County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case, which Assistant United States Attorney J. Patrick Lamb prosecuted.


title: Pharmaceutical Executive Charged with Insider Trading

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – An executive of a global pharmaceutical company was charged today in federal in court in Boston with allegedly earning more than $250,000 by trading on material non-public information. Dishant Gupta, 55, of Hillsborough, N.J., was charged with one count of securities fraud. He will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date. According to the charging documents, Gupta worked as the Director of Strategy and Operations in the Boston office of a global pharmaceutical company (Company A). In the spring of 2022, during the course of his employment at Company A, Gupta allegedly obtained material non-public information about the fact that Company A was negotiating to acquire certain assets of a smaller pharmaceutical company based in Boston (Company B), including its leading cancer drug, and that Company A later agreed to acquire Company B outright. While in possession of this material non-public information, and in violation of his fiduciary duties to Company A, Gupta allegedly acquired shares of Company B in his own and his wife’s brokerage accounts – in an effort to profit from the eventual public announcement of the transaction. Gupta allegedly purchased more than 300,000 shares of Company B across several different brokerage accounts over approximately two and a half months. It is further alleged that Gupta then sold all the shares he had acquired after Company A announced the acquisition of Company B. Gupta allegedly earned more than $250,000 trading in securities of Company B while in possession of material non-public information. The charge of securities fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. 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. The Securities and Exchange Commission filed a civil complaint against Gupta alleging violations of the securities laws. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Boston Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin A. Saltzman of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Federal Prosecutors Highlight Efforts To Stop Rising Mail Thefts And Prosecute Offenders

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office has intensified federal efforts to address the surge in mail thefts by increasing the prosecution of cases involving stolen mail, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Federal prosecutors and investigators are also urging residents and businesses to take proactive measures to prevent thefts and report stolen mail promptly. “Mail theft is not a victimless crime. Not only does it disrupt the delivery of important mail, but it can be a conduit to identity theft and financial fraud, with significant consequences for victimized individuals and businesses,” said U.S. Attorney King. “My Office is committed to protecting and securing our postal system, but we also need individuals and businesses to remain vigilant and take steps to secure their mail. Working together, we can stop mail thefts and uphold the integrity of our postal services.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office has brought charges and secured convictions against defendants for crimes related to mail theft. The cases involve mail stolen from residential and business mailboxes and mail processing centers, used to commit financial fraud, bank fraud, and identity theft. Among the defendants charged are former postal employees, who misused their position and access to commit mail theft and engage in criminal schemes involving stolen mail. “The safety and security of the U.S. mail and its customers are core to the mission of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service,” said Inspector-in-Charge Tommy D. Coke of the Atlanta Division. “Mail theft can have devasting consequences for victimized individuals and businesses. This effort would not be successful without the cooperation between our federal, state, and local law enforcement counterparts. We will continue to work collectively to pursue criminals who victimize postal customers.” “We appreciate the outstanding effort by both our law enforcement partners and the Department of Justice,” said Jeffrey Krafels, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Office of the Inspector General (USPS-OIG). “The vast majority of Postal Service employees are honest, hardworking individuals who would not violate the public’s trust in this manner. An employee who decides otherwise, will be aggressively investigated by OIG Special Agents. These cases serve as an excellent example of the successful collaboration between the USPS-OIG, our federal and state law enforcement partners, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to pursue and prosecute Postal Service employees and their co-conspirators involved in criminal activity.” Examples of recent charges brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office include: U.S. v. Miguel Bridges and U.S. v. Jaleesa Bridges and Ryan Bridges – Miguel Bridges, 34, of Charlotte, worked as a postal employee at a mail distribution center in Charlotte. Today, he pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to commit offense against the United States for stealing cell phones from the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) and selling them for profit. Jaleesa Bridges, 36, of Charlotte, and Ryan Bridges, 32, of Florence, South Carolina, were charged separately in August 2024, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and possession of stolen mail. Their charges are still pending. According to allegations in the charging documents, Miguel Bridges took advantage of his position as a postal employee to open mail parcels and steal cellular phones, which he and his co-conspirators then sold to ecoATM automated kiosks and other locations, as well as to third parties. During the conspiracy, it is alleged that more than 1,400 stolen cell phones were sold for approximately $400,000. U.S. v. John Davis – On August 28, 2024, John Calvin Davis, III, 28, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 18 months in prison and three years of supervised release for executing a scheme involving stolen checks. Court documents show that, from August 2022 to January 2023, Davis obtained approximately 50 checks that were stolen from USPS mail collection boxes in Charlotte. The defendant then fraudulently endorsed the stolen checks, used ATMs to deposit the checks into bank accounts he controlled, and quickly withdrew the funds via ATMs or mobile transfers before the victims or the bank discovered the checks were stolen. Through this scheme, Davis fraudulently obtained $304,355.56 in fraudulent proceeds. U.S. v. Quadarius Thomas – On August 7, 2024, Quadarius Thomas, 30, of Charlotte, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of stolen mail, and two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Court records show that, in December 2023, Thomas had in his possession a U.S. Treasury Check that had been mailed to a victim company. The check was in the amount of $2,463,923.52, and it had been stolen from a letter box or post office. Thomas also pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon. Court records show that Thomas possessed two firearms despite having prior criminal convictions that prohibit him from possessing firearms. Thomas is currently in federal custody and is awaiting sentencing. U.S. v. Jessica Sowell – On August 5, 2024, Jessica Bailey Sowell, 31, of Charlotte, pleaded guilty to bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Court records show that, from March 2023 to February 2024, Sowell executed an identity theft and bank fraud scheme using personal identifying information (PII) of identity theft victims. Sowell obtained the PII through various means, including stealing mail, from the internet, and other sources. Sowell used the stolen PII to create fraudulent identification documents which she used at banks, hotels, and retail stores in order to obtain money and merchandise, and to rent hotel rooms and cars. During that time, Sowell also illegally possessed a firearm. Sowell is currently detained. A sentencing hearing has not been set. U.S. v. Douglas Gumbs – On August 1, 2024, Douglas Gumbs, 39, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 36 months in prison and three years of supervised release for bank fraud. Court records show that, from 2022 to 2023, Gumbs conspired with others to steal large quantities of U.S. mail from residential and business mailboxes. The stolen mail included business and individual checks, credit cards, tax forms, bank and other financial statements, packages, as well as victims’ PII. Gumbs carried out the fraud by altering the amounts of the stolen checks and changing the names of the payees to his own name, then cashing the stolen checks. In other instances, Gumbs obtained stolen blank checks and wrote the checks to himself. Gumbs also created false identification documents, including drivers’ licenses, that contained his picture with the names and drivers’ license numbers of identity theft victims, which he used in furtherance of the scheme. U.S. v. Tressa Baucom, et al. – In July 2024, Jennings Peter Keziah, also known as Christian Thomas Carpenter, 37, of Stanley, N.C., was sentenced to 30 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess stolen mail, for stealing thousands of pieces of mail in North Carolina and South Carolina. Keziah’s co-defendant, Tressa Nichole Baucom, 31, of Charlotte, has pleaded guilty to the same offense and is awaiting sentencing. According to court records, from October to December 2021, the defendants executed a mail theft scheme that targeted residential mailboxes in Charlotte and Gastonia, N.C., and York County, S.C. Over the course of the scheme, Baucom and Keziah allegedly stole more than 3,700 pieces of mail, including credit cards, checks, gift cards, driver’s licenses, bank statements and a passport. Court records show that the defendants used the stolen cards for personal expenditures, including to make purchases at Walmart, Academy Sports & Outdoors, Quick Trip, and Best Buy. U.S. v. Nakedra Shannon, et. al. – Nakedra Shannon, 30, Donnell Gardner, 28, and Desiray Carter, 30, all of Charlotte, were indicted for a scheme involving stolen checks. In July 2024, Gardner was sentenced to 54 months in prison, after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit financial institution fraud and theft of government money, property, or records. According to court records, Shannon, who was employed by the USPS as a mail processing clerk, stole incoming and outgoing checks from the U.S. mail, which Shannon, Gardner, and Carter then sold to other individuals. Over the course of the conspiracy, the defendants stole checks totaling more than $24 million, including more than $12 million in stolen checks which were posted for sale on the Telegram channel OG Glass House, and more than $8 million in stolen U.S. Treasury checks. Shannon and Carter have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit financial institution fraud and theft of government money, property, or records and are awaiting sentencing. U.S. v. Montavius Hancock, et al. – In May 2024, a federal grand jury charged Montavius Hancock, 28, and Marquez Gaston, 28, both of Charlotte, with conspiracy to commit offense against the United States for theft of U.S. mail and unlawful possession of USPS universal keys, also known as “arrow keys,” amongst other charges. According to allegations in the indictment, Gaston used his position as a USPS employee to steal the arrow keys, which he then sold to other individuals, including to Hancock. Hancock and others used the arrow keys to steal U.S. mail, including checks and bank cards, from USPS mail receptacles. During the conspiracy, Hancock obtained checks with a face value of more than $400,000. Hancock pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit offense against the United States and is awaiting sentencing. The charges against Gaston are pending. U.S. v. Jakia McMorris – In April 2024, Jakia McMorris, 33, of Charlotte pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud for stealing more than $40,000 in checks, including checks stolen from the U.S. mail. According to court records, McMorris was a USPS employee. On or around September 13, 2021, McMorris reported that, while she was delivering mail, she lost a USPS universal key that could open many U.S. mailboxes. After that day, McMorris stopped reporting for work at the USPS. During the scheme, McMorris’s co-conspirators used the stolen universal USPS key to open multi-unit outdoor mailboxes in Charlotte and steal mail. The stolen mail included business checks, which were deposited into various bank accounts, including in bank accounts in McMorris’s name. The co-conspirators then quickly withdrew the cash from the accounts before the banks detected the fraud. McMorris received a portion of the funds as payment for using her bank accounts to perpetuate the scheme. McMorris is released on bond and is awaiting sentencing. U.S. v. Kyree Corbett – In February 2024, Kyree Jamayl Corbett, 23, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 78 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release for conspiracy and robbery of property of the United States. Court records show that, in December 2021, Corbett participated in a robbery at gunpoint of a U.S. postal employee, using the threat of force to steal a USPS universal key. Corbett and his co-conspirators then used the key on multiple occasions to steal large quantities of mail from U.S. Postal collection boxes throughout the Charlotte area. Corbett and his co-conspirators would then open and remove the contents of the stolen mail, which included individual and business checks. David Miller, a co-conspirator in Corbett’s mail theft conspiracy, was sentenced to 14 months in prison in March 2023. The U.S. Attorney’s Office advises the public to take the following steps to protect their mail and avoid becoming a victim of mail theft: Promptly Retrieve Mail : Collect your mail daily and avoid leaving it in the mailbox overnight. Secure Mailboxes : Use secure, lockable mailboxes for incoming and outgoing mail. Inquire About Overdue Mail: If you have not received valuable or important mail you’re expecting, contact the sender to inquire about it. Don’t Send Cash: Avoid mailing cash, gift cards, or other items of value. When doing, so utilize the package tracking and signature confirmation options. Hold Mail When Away : Use the USPS Hold Mail service when you are out of town. File a Change of Address : When moving, file a change of address with USPS. Report Suspicious Activity : Immediately report any suspicious individuals or activities near mailboxes to local law enforcement. Monitor Financial Statements : Regularly review bank and credit card statements for any unusual activity. Sign up for Informed Delivery and get daily digest emails that preview your mail and packages scheduled arriving soon. Customers are encouraged to report stolen mail as soon as possible by submitting an online complaint to the Postal Inspection Service at www.uspis.gov/report or calling 877-876-2455. Additionally, report the theft to your local police department to ensure they are aware of potential criminal activity in your area. Individuals are also encouraged to report allegations of Postal Service employee misconduct, including attempts to corrupt a Postal Service employee, to the USPS OIG at 1-888-877-7644 or www.uspsoig.gov .


title: Mayor Brown Proposes Creating New Special Assistant United States Attorney Position To Focus On Narcotics Prosecution In City Of Spokane

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Spokane, Washington - A proposal put forward by Mayor Lisa Brown would combine federal and city resources to establish a Special U.S. Assistant Attorney to focus on narcotics prosecution impacting the City of Spokane. If approved by the City Council, this attorney will be a city employee who works in collaboration with the Eastern District of Washington U.S. Attorney’s Office. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will provide office space, training, day-to-day supervision, and will assist with recruitment, interviewing and identifying successful candidates. Developing this role in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office ensures that the City will have close relationships with federal agencies like the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and have enhanced penalty provisions for high-level drug dealers and traffickers. “Our community has been deeply affected by the opioid epidemic. To address this crisis, I am looking to partner a new special attorney to target the root of the problem – drug dealing and trafficking. By focusing upstream, we aim to cut off the supply before it reaches out most vulnerable, preventing more people from falling victim and giving our community a chance to heal,” Mayor Brown said. “I am grateful to U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref and her team for their partnership in this effort. Together, we will create better outcomes for our community.” “The City of Spokane and the U.S. Attorney’s Office share the same goal - a safer, stronger community for all who call Spokane home. The dramatic increase in the use of fentanyl in the last few years has destroyed countless lives,” stated U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref, who serves as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Eastern District of Washington. U.S. Attorney Waldref continued, “We stand prepared to work with our federal and local law enforcement partners to address the damage being done to our communities. Working together, we are better equipped to address the fentanyl crisis — bringing justice to purveyors of poison in our neighborhoods and sparing community members and families from the tragedy of deadly drug poisonings. I am grateful for our partnership with the City of Spokane, and I look forward to continuing to work with the Mayor’s team on critical public safety projects for our community.” About the City of Spokane The City of Spokane, home to more than 229,000 people, is located in the heart of the Inland Northwest. Our 2,000 employees strive to deliver efficient and effective services that facilitate economic opportunity and enhance the quality of life for all our residents. For more information, visit www.spokanecity.org and follow us @spokanecity on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram . About the U.S. Attorney’s Office The United States Attorney's Office is responsible for representing the federal government in almost all litigation involving the United States in the Eastern District of Washington, which is comprised of the 20 Washington counties east of the Cascade Mountains. The U.S. Attorney’s Office handles all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, as well as civil lawsuits by and against the U.S. government. It is the mission and the pledge of the U.S. Attorney’s Office to represent the United States with determination, professionalism, and integrity. The District’s headquarters is located in Spokane, Washington, with branch offices in Richland and Yakima.


title: Seven Members and Associates of the Folk Nation Gangster Disciples Charged in Connection with Drive-By Shooting Committed on Father's Day 2022 and Related Firearms Offenses

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: A four-count indictment was unsealed today in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York charging Kwyme Waddell, Paolo Alfarobarber, Rahim Frank, Mikey Jemison, Sebastian Jocelyn, Joel Myrie and Jahi Nimmons with violent crimes in-aid-of racketeering — including murder conspiracy and attempted murder — and related firearms offenses. As alleged, the defendants are members and associates of the Folk Nation Gangster Disciples (GD), and specifically of GD subset No Love City (NLC). Defendants Alfarobarber, Frank, Jemison, Jocelyn, and Nimmons were arrested this morning in Brooklyn and Bridgeport, Connecticut and are scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Joseph A. Marutollo at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn. Defendant Waddell was already in federal custody on a prior charge of being a felon-in-possession of ammunition after a March 2022 shooting and will be arraigned at a later date. Myrie is still at large. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Christie M. Curtis, Acting Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Edward A. Caban, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD) announced the charges and arrests. “We allege that, rather than celebrating families on Father’s Day, the defendants terrorized Brooklyn residents by spraying bullets onto a residential street with total disregard for human life,” stated U.S. Attorney Peace. “My Office will continue to use all tools available to dismantle violent gangs, like the Folk National Gangster Disciples, and hold their members accountable for the havoc they cause to our communities.” Mr. Peace expressed his appreciation to FBI/NYPD Metro Safe Streets Task Force and the NYPD’s Gun Violence Suppression Division for their work and assistance in this investigation and prosecution. “Seven members and associates of Folk Nation Gangster Disciples allegedly conspired to orchestrate the attempted murder of a rival member by firing two firearms into a crowded neighborhood street. Their alleged actions fueled a decade-long rivalry and posed an extreme threat to the innocent bystanders celebrating Father’s Day. With our law enforcement partners, the FBI remains dedicated to investigating and apprehending all gangs who utilize gun violence to satisfy territorial disputes and threaten the safety of our communities,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Curtis. “Targeting and tearing down gangs, as well as preventing the violence associated with their illegal activities, remains a top priority for the NYPD,” stated NYPD Commissioner Caban. “I commend the tireless efforts of our Gun Violence Suppression Division and express gratitude to all of our law enforcement partners for their unwavering dedication to our shared mission of public safety.” As alleged in the indictment and other court documents, on June 19, 2022 – which was Father’s Day – the defendants engaged in a drive-by shooting during which a 28-year-old victim was shot and injured. NLC leaders Waddell and Alfarobarber jumped into a stolen Dodge Charger with younger gang members Jocelyn and Myrie. The foursome drove to Canarsie in a three-car convoy with Frank, Jemison and Nimmons to continue a decade’s long feud with rivals in the area. After identifying a group of people on residential East 94th Street between Avenues L and K, the defendants shot multiple times into the group on the sidewalk using two firearms, striking the victim, who survived his injuries after being hospitalized. The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. This indictment is part of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York’s focus on dismantling the Folk Nation Gangster Disciples (GD), under which the Office has brought numerous prosecutions against members and associates of GD in coordination with federal and state law enforcement partners, including United States v. Britton , No. 23-CR-406 (LDH) (GD leader charged with false statements and obstruction); United States v. Zeigler , No. 23-CR-114 (MKB) (GD member charged with firearm possession in connection with a shooting); United States v. Oluwagbenga Agoro , No. 21-CR-166 (WFK) (relating to a March 14, 2021 use of threatened use of force in furtherance of a plan to commit extortion); United States v. Powell , No. 21-CR-205 (LDH) (GD member charged with firearm possession in connection with a shooting); United States v. Cummings , No. 21-CR-406 (CBA) (GD associate charged with possessing multiple firearms on multiple separate occasions); United States v. Apollon , No. 21-CR-636 (DG) (GD member charged with robbery of vehicles from parking garage where parking attendant was permanently injured); and United States v. Brown , No. 20-CR-293 (WFK) (eleven GD defendants charged with racketeering offenses for seven gang-related shootings in 2020). This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Merrick Garland has enhanced PSN as part of the Department’s focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Dana Rehnquist, Sophia Suarez and Daniel Marcus are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Theodore Rader. The Defendants : KWYME WADDELL Brooklyn, New York PAOLO ALFAROBARBER Bridgeport, Connecticut RAHIM FRANK Brooklyn, New York MIKEY JEMISON Brooklyn, New York SEBASTIEN JOCELYN Bridgeport, Connecticut JOEL MYRIE Brooklyn, New York JAHI NIMMONS Brooklyn, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-351 (FB)


title: North Carolina Auto Parts Seller and its Owner to Pay $10M for Making, Selling and Installing Emissions Defeat Devices on Motor Vehicles

component: ENRD - Environmental Crimes Section

body_text: WASHINGTON - North Carolina automotive parts manufacturer and seller, Rudy’s Performance Parts Inc. (Rudy’s), and its owner, Aaron Rudolf, have agreed to pay a total of $10 million in criminal fines and civil penalties for manufacturing, selling and installing devices, commonly known as “defeat devices,” used to remove or disable required emissions controls in motor vehicles. Rudy’s pleaded guilty and was sentenced today in federal court in Washington, D.C., for conspiring to violate the Clean Air Act. U.S. District Court Judge Trevor N. McFadden for the District of Columbia ordered Rudy’s to pay a criminal fine of $2.4 million and to complete a three-year period of organizational probation, consistent with a plea agreement. Rudolf, sole owner and chief executive officer of Rudy’s, previously pleaded guilty for conspiring to violate the Clean Air Act by tampering with monitoring devices on approximately 300 diesel trucks, which involved the installation of defeat devices on those trucks. He was sentenced in April to three years of probation and ordered to pay a $600,000 criminal fine. Separate from the criminal actions, the Justice Department, on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), filed a civil suit in 2022 against Rudy’s and Rudolf for violating the Clean Air Act by manufacturing, selling and installing defeat devices and failing to adequately respond to the EPA’s formal requests for information. Under a consent decree filed July 29, 2024, Rudy’s and Rudolf will pay a $7 million civil penalty for those violations. The consent decree would also prohibit them from making, selling, offering to sell and installing defeat devices, transferring intellectual property that would allow others to make or sell defeat devices and investing in or profiting from defeat devices manufactured or sold by other businesses. The decree is subject to court approval. “Defeat devices, such as those sold by Rudy’s, can lead to pollution at high levels that pose health risks and harm the environment,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “This plea agreement and civil settlement show that we will take strong action to enforce the Clean Air Act and emissions controls requirements for motor vehicles.” “For too many years, companies like Rudy’s have installed Illegal defeat devices to evade the public health protections of the Clean Air Act, to the detriment of communities across America,” said Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Today’s announcement demonstrates that EPA will vigorously pursue criminal and civil penalties until this blatant illegal behavior comes to an end.” “Those selling defeat devices are willing to pollute the environment so that they can personally profit,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “Today’s sentencing makes clear that there will be significant consequences for those who traffic in these devices. Anyone considering peddling or installing these devices is on notice of the substantial costs of doing so.” “The Clean Air Act’s protections are essential for the health and safety of our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston for the Middle District of North Carolina. “Tampering with emissions controls adds excess pollutants to the air we breathe and harms both public health and the environment. Settlements like these are essential to hold entities who violate the Clean Air Act accountable and to prevent harmful air pollution.” According to court documents in the criminal case, Rudy’s sold defeat devices, known as delete tuners, which tampered with the on-board diagnostic systems (OBDs) of vehicles. Rudy’s top selling product was the Mini Maxx delete tuner originally manufactured by another company, identified in court documents as “Company A.” Rudy’s also sold the XRT Pro, another Company A delete tuner. After Company A stopped making these tuners, Rudy’s conspired with others to manufacture imitation Company A tuners. Rudy’s reached an agreement with a software technician to convert certain tuners into imitation Company A tuners. That agreement ran from July 2015 through December 2016, when the software technician stopped converting tuners. After that, Rudy’s manufactured the imitation delete tuners in-house using a laptop computer that Rudy’s purchased for $850,000. The laptop contained software to convert tuners into imitation Company A tuners. In-house manufacturing lasted from about December 2016 through July 2018. In total, Rudy’s sold approximately 43,900 imitation tuners, generating about $33 million in revenue. The civil lawsuit alleges that from at least 2014 through mid-2019, Rudy’s and Rudolf manufactured and sold over 250,000 products designed to remove or disable EPA-mandated emissions controls. These products included hardware parts such as plates that block a vehicle’s exhaust gas recirculation system and pipes that replace pollution treatment components in a vehicle’s exhaust system. Disabling or removing emissions controls and tampering with the OBD of a diesel truck causes its emissions — including nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, particulate matter and non-methane hydrocarbons — to increase significantly. Diesel exhaust is a mobile source air toxic because it poses cancer and noncancer health risks. In the civil complaint, the EPA estimates that the number of products sold by Rudy’s amounted to adding about 1 million vehicles’ worth of pollution to America’s roads. The $7 million that Rudy’s and Rudolf will pay pursuant to the consent decree was based on their financial capability. The EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division investigated the criminal case. Senior Counsel Krishna S. Dighe and Trial Attorney Stephen J. Foster of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s (ENRD) Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer L. Blackwell for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the criminal case. Senior Counsel Elizabeth L. Loeb of ENRD’s Environmental Enforcement Section, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cassie Crawford and Rebecca Mayer for the Middle District of North Carolina and Attorney-Adviser Lauren Tozzi of EPA’s Air Enforcement Division are handling the civil case. The consent decree was lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. It is subject to a 30-day public comment period and approval by the Court. A copy of the consent decree and information on submitting comments is available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees . Stopping the manufacture, sale, and installation of illegal delete devices is a priority for the EPA. You can learn more about the EPA’s criminal enforcement actions on defeat devices here and here .


component: USAO - North Carolina, Middle

body_text: WASHINGTON — North Carolina automotive parts manufacturer and seller, Rudy’s Performance Parts Inc. (Rudy’s), and its owner, Aaron Rudolf, have agreed to pay a total of $10 million in criminal fines and civil penalties for manufacturing, selling and installing devices, commonly known as “defeat devices,” used to remove or disable required emissions controls in motor vehicles. Rudy’s pleaded guilty and was sentenced today in federal court in Washington, D.C., for conspiring to violate the Clean Air Act. U.S. District Court Judge Trevor N. McFadden for the District of Columbia ordered Rudy’s to pay a criminal fine of $2.4 million and to complete a three-year period of organizational probation, consistent with a plea agreement. Rudolf, sole owner and chief executive officer of Rudy’s, previously pleaded guilty for conspiring to violate the Clean Air Act by tampering with monitoring devices on approximately 300 diesel trucks, which involved the installation of defeat devices on those trucks. He was sentenced in April to three years of probation and ordered to pay a $600,000 criminal fine. Separate from the criminal actions, the Justice Department, on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), filed a civil suit in 2022 against Rudy’s and Rudolf for violating the Clean Air Act by manufacturing, selling and installing defeat devices and failing to adequately respond to the EPA’s formal requests for information. Under a consent decree filed July 29, Rudy’s and Rudolf will pay a $7 million civil penalty for those violations. The consent decree would also prohibit them from making, selling, offering to sell and installing defeat devices, transferring intellectual property that would allow others to make or sell defeat devices and investing in or profiting from defeat devices manufactured or sold by other businesses. The decree is subject to court approval. “Defeat devices, such as those sold by Rudy’s, can lead to pollution at high levels that pose health risks and harm the environment,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “This plea agreement and civil settlement show that we will take strong action to enforce the Clean Air Act and emissions controls requirements for motor vehicles.” “For too many years, companies like Rudy’s have installed illegal defeat devices to evade the public health protections of the Clean Air Act, to the detriment of communities across America,” said Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Today’s announcement demonstrates that EPA will vigorously pursue criminal and civil penalties until this blatant illegal behavior comes to an end.” “Those selling defeat devices are willing to pollute the environment so that they can personally profit,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “Today’s sentencing makes clear that there will be significant consequences for those who traffic in these devices. Anyone considering peddling or installing these devices is on notice of the substantial costs of doing so.” “The Clean Air Act’s protections are essential for the health and safety of our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston for the Middle District of North Carolina. “Tampering with emissions controls adds excess pollutants to the air we breathe and harms both public health and the environment. Settlements like these are essential to hold entities who violate the Clean Air Act accountable and to prevent harmful air pollution.” According to court documents in the criminal case, Rudy’s sold defeat devices, known as delete tuners, which tampered with the on-board diagnostic systems (OBDs) of vehicles. Rudy’s top selling product was the Mini Maxx delete tuner originally manufactured by another company, identified in court documents as “Company A.” Rudy’s also sold the XRT Pro, another Company A delete tuner. After Company A stopped making these tuners, Rudy’s conspired with others to manufacture imitation Company A tuners. Rudy’s reached an agreement with a software technician to convert certain tuners into imitation Company A tuners. That agreement ran from July 2015 through December 2016, when the software technician stopped converting tuners. After that, Rudy’s manufactured the imitation delete tuners in-house using a laptop computer that Rudy’s purchased for $850,000. The laptop contained software to convert tuners into imitation Company A tuners. In-house manufacturing lasted from about December 2016 through July 2018. In total, Rudy’s sold approximately 43,900 imitation tuners, generating about $33 million in revenue. The civil lawsuit alleges that from at least 2014 through mid-2019, Rudy’s and Rudolf manufactured and sold over 250,000 products designed to remove or disable EPA-mandated emissions controls. These products included hardware parts such as plates that block a vehicle’s exhaust gas recirculation system and pipes that replace pollution treatment components in a vehicle’s exhaust system. Disabling or removing emissions controls and tampering with the OBD of a diesel truck causes its emissions — including nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, particulate matter and non-methane hydrocarbons — to increase significantly. Diesel exhaust is a mobile source air toxic because it poses cancer and noncancer health risks. In the civil complaint, the EPA estimates that the number of products sold by Rudy’s amounted to adding over 1 million vehicles’ worth of pollution to America’s roads. The $7 million that Rudy’s and Rudolf will pay pursuant to the consent decree was based on their financial capability. The EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division investigated the criminal case. Senior Counsel Krishna S. Dighe and Trial Attorney Stephen J. Foster of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s (ENRD) Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer L. Blackwell for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the criminal case. Senior Counsel Elizabeth L. Loeb of ENRD’s Environmental Enforcement Section, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cassie Crawford and Rebecca Mayer for the Middle District of North Carolina and Attorney-Adviser Lauren Tozzi of EPA’s Air Enforcement Division are handling the civil case. The consent decree was lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. It is subject to a 30-day public comment period and approval by the Court. A copy of the consent decree and information on submitting comments is available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees . Stopping the manufacture, sale, and installation of illegal delete devices is a priority for the EPA. You can learn more about the EPA’s criminal enforcement actions on defeat devices here and here . ###


title: Springfield Gang Leader, Rapper Sentenced for Illegal Firearms

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man who was a leader in a violent gang and part of a rap group was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing firearms. Ezekiel Josiah King, 21, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to six years and six months in federal prison without parole. On Jan. 16, 2024, King pleaded guilty to one count of being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of firearms. King admitted he was in possession of a loaded Glock .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol, with an extended magazine that contained 29 rounds, and an Anderson AM-15 multi-caliber rifle, loaded with 31 rounds of .223-caliber ammunition. King was driving a gold Nissan Altima that was stopped by Springfield police detectives on Feb. 15, 2022, for multiple traffic violations. King told officers he was driving erratically because he believed a rival gang was chasing him. In addition to the firearms, detectives found marijuana in the vehicle, as well as another extended magazine and two factory Glock magazines under the driver’s seat. According to court documents, King – a leader of the FTO gang – engaged in a series of violent firearm offenses, many of which were part of a feud with a rival gang. In another traffic stop of a vehicle in which King was a passenger, on Oct. 23, 2022, law enforcement officers seized a loaded Anderson Manufacturing AM-15, AR-style pistol with an extended magazine loaded with 36 rounds that was at King’s feet. The ATF National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (“NIBIN”) conducted an analysis that indicated the pistol had been used in a recent drive-by shooting in Springfield. In addition, according to court documents, King is a suspect or a person of interest in a shooting that occurred in downtown Springfield that resulted in the deaths of two individuals and injuries to a third, a robbery, a theft of a firearm, a shooting that left the victim paralyzed, and multiple drive-by shootings. Co-defendant Jardell Carlin Williams, 20, also a leader of the FTO gang, was sentenced on Feb. 5, 2024, to six years and six months in federal prison without parole. Williams pleaded guilty to two counts of being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of firearms. Williams, a passenger in King’s vehicle during the Feb. 15, 2022, traffic stop, admitted he was in possession of a Glock .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol. Detectives also located two more boxes of ammunition in the front floorboard. Williams also admitted that he was in possession of a C3 Defense 5.56-caliber semi-automatic pistol when a vehicle, in which he was a passenger, was stopped by law enforcement on Oct. 22, 2022. The C3 Defense AR-style pistol was tentatively identified as being used in three shooting incidents in the Kansas City, Mo., and Kansas City, Kansas, areas. Both King and Williams admitted they regularly smoked marijuana. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department. Project Safe Neighborhoods 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: Martha's Vineyard Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Bank Robbery

body_text: BOSTON – An Edgartown man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to armed bank robbery and conspiracy offenses. Miquel Antonio Jones, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery, and one count of armed bank robbery and aiding and abetting. U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Dec. 2, 2024. In March 2023, Jones was indicted by a federal grand jury, and additional charges were brought in a superseding indictment in April 2023. Jones met Omar Johnson, Tevin Porter, and allegedly Romane Clayton, in Martha’s Vineyard on Nov. 16, 2022 to plan the robbery. Jones identified the bank they would be robbing and provided the others with dark-colored clothing and plastic masks that resembled an elderly man with exaggerated facial features. On the morning of Nov. 17, 2022, Porter, Jones and Johnson forced their way through the rear door of the Rockland Trust Bank in Tisbury. The men were armed with two semi-automatic handguns and wearing the clothes and masks that Jones had provided. Once inside the bank, one of the individuals held a gun to the head of one of the bank employees, forced the employee to open the bank’s vault, and took approximately $39,100. The bank employees were bound with duct tape and plastic zip ties while their belongings were searched and the robbers demanded access to one of their vehicles. Jones, Porter and Johnson then left the bank in an employee’s car, allegedly picked up Clayton outside the bank, and drove to the Manuel Correllus State Forest, where they abandoned the vehicle in a parking lot. They then fled in another vehicle that Clayton allegedly had left there for purposes of their escape. Porter and Clayton allegedly left Martha’s Vineyard together on a ferry later that morning. Meanwhile, Johnson and Jones drove to a local farm associated with Jones’s landscaping job to dispose of the equipment that had been used during the bank robbery. At the farm, they allegedly buried the two firearms used in the robbery in a hole in the ground and burned the remainder of the robbery equipment, including the plastic masks. After the evidence was disposed of, Jones returned home to his residence where he hid the approximately $39,100 that had been stolen from the bank, in his bedroom under a bureau. Johnson left Martha’s Vineyard, reconvened with Porter, and allegedly Clayton, in Woods Hole and then drove them to the area of Johnson’s home in New Hampshire. Johnson and Porter have both pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Clayton is scheduled to plead guilty on Sept. 12, 2024. The charge of armed bank robbery provides for a sentence of up to 25 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Cape & Islands District Attorney’s Office; the Massachusetts State Police; the Tisbury, West Tisbury, Edgartown, Chilmark, Oak Bluffs, Aquinnah, Canterbury (N.H.) and New Haven (Conn.) Police Departments; the United States Postal Inspection Service; the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms; Immigration and Customs Enforcement; and United States Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan C. Cleary of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Deerfield Beach Man Sentenced To More Than 14 Years In Federal Prison For Armed Bank Robbery

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, FL – U.S. District Judge Anne Conway today sentenced Johnson Saint-Louis (39, Deerfield Beach) to 14 years and 3 months in federal prison for bank robbery and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. The court also ordered Saint-Louis to forfeit a Ruger firearm and assorted ammunition, which were used during the commission of the offense. A jury had found Saint-Louis guilty on May 30, 2024. According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Saint-Louis was a former ATM technician who traveled around the southeast tampering with ATMs serviced by his former employer. On February 16, 2021, Saint-Louis robbed a bank in Longwood. Saint-Louis visited the location’s drive-thru ATM, manipulated the ATM in a way that caused it to malfunction, and then waited for the ATM technician to arrive. Once the technician arrived and opened the ATM and vault containing the cash, Saint-Louis, dressed in dark clothing and wearing a mask and gloves to conceal his identity, approached from a hole in the parking lot perimeter fence. Saint-Louis confronted the ATM technician with a firearm, forcing him to his knees to wait out the robbery, while Saint-Louis moved the cash from the vault cassettes into a backpack. In total, Saint-Louis stole approximately $135,530 from the ATM. As part of the FBI’s investigation into the bank robberies, Saint-Louis was surveilled by deputies from Seminole County Sheriff’s Office. On November 4, 2021, deputies observed Saint-Louis traveling to various bank locations in Seminole County. Deputies eventually stopped Saint-Louis, and during that traffic stop, they observed that Saint-Louis had a firearm inside his car with black tape covering its serial numbers, as well as several pieces of paper listing bank branch locations in Jacksonville. The listed bank branches were annotated with whether the ATM at each location was manufactured by Saint-Louis’s former employer or by another company, along with other notes. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, and the Tallahassee Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel S. Lyons and Chauncey A. Bratt. 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: Behavioral Healthcare Company Executive Charged with Healthcare Fraud

body_text: BOSTON – The Chief Executive Officer of Dana Group Associates, who is also the former Chief Operating Officer of Prime Behavioral Health, was charged today in connection with a scheme to defraud health care benefit programs by directing false billing for patient visits. Miguel Saravia, 42, was charged and has agreed to plead guilty to six counts of health care fraud. A plea hearing date has not been set. According to the charging documents, from approximately 2017 to 2022, Saravia directed a group of individuals with no billing or medical training to enter Current Procedural Terminology codes (CPT) for therapy services that were not provided and to upcode CPT codes used for psychotherapy visits. It is further alleged that Saravia submitted, or directed the submission of, false claims for treatment that was not provided or for more complex and expensive treatment than was provided. The charge of health care fraud carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Insurance Fraud Bureau Executive Director Anthony DiPaolo; and Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly B. Lawrence and Mackenzie A. Queenin of the Health Care Fraud Unit and Lindsey Ross and Steven Sharobem of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit are prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: New Bedford Man Sentenced for Social Security Fraud

body_text: BOSTON – A New Bedford man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for fraudulently receiving Social Security disability benefits. Anthony Patterson, 62, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to time served (one day) and three years of supervised release, with six months to be served in home confinement. Patterson was also ordered to pay restitution of $92,582 to the Social Security Administration (SSA). In June 2024, Patterson pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government money. Patterson was charged in May 2024. From 2013 to 2023, Patterson collected Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, which are only available to people with limited financial means. During two interviews with SSA in 2012 and 2022, Patterson made sworn false statements regarding his marital status and living situation to conceal household income and resources. As a result, he collected $92,582 in SSI benefits that he was ineligible to receive. In addition, Patterson failed to report work and income to SSA from his business breeding and selling show bulldogs for $3,000 to $7,000 each, which also would have exceeded the resource limits for SSI. Patterson also told SSA in 2007 that he could not lift more than 20 pounds because of restrictions from his doctor, but then participated in weightlifting competitions where he lifted over 400 pounds without informing SSA that his medical condition had improved as required for Social Security disability programs. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Corwin Rattler, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Madera Man Convicted of Firearms Violations 3 Months After Being Convicted in Jan. 6 Capitol Breach Trial in Washington, D.C.

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Following a one-day trial in Fresno, Benjamin Martin, 46, of Madera, was convicted today of illegally possessing firearms and ammunition, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to evidence presented at trial and other court records, in September 2021, the FBI executed a search warrant at Martin’s residence in Madera and arrested him on charges filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia for the breach of the U.S. Capitol that occurred on Jan. 6, 2021. During the search, the FBI found eight guns, including an AR-15 style assault rifle, multiple high-capacity magazines for the AR-15, and more than 500 rounds of ammunition. Martin was prohibited from possessing these items because of his prior domestic violence conviction, and resulting restraining order, for choking his then girlfriend and dragging her back into the house after she tried to flee. Shortly after his arrest, Martin was caught on a recorded jail call where he instructed his then fiancée to lie to authorities and tell them that the firearms seized from his residence belonged to her and her father and that he did not know about them. She agreed to do so. Martin also recently went to trial in the Capitol breach case in Washington, D.C., where the evidence showed that he held a door to the Capitol open while officers tried to close it. He kept the door open so that other rioters could spray chemical irritants and throw objects at the officers. Martin was convicted on all counts, which included two felonies for civil disorder and obstructing an official proceeding. This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton, Robert Veneman-Hughes, and Michael Tierney are prosecuting the case. Martin is scheduled to be sentenced in the firearms case in Fresno on Nov. 25, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Martin faces up to 15 years in prison and a 250,000 fine for that case. He is scheduled to be sentenced in the Capitol breach case in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 15, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras. He faces additional imprisonment and fines in that case. The actual sentences, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The press release for Martin’s conviction in the Capitol breach case can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/california-man-convicted-felony-and-misdemeanor-charges-actions-during-jan-6-capitol


title: Portland Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for $2 Million Fraudulent Investment Scheme

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland man, who for more than a decade claimed to be a successful foreign exchange currency trader to solicit millions of dollars in investments, was sentenced to federal prison yesterday for wire fraud. William Bennington, 53, was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. According to court documents, from March 2012 until October 2022, Bennington knowingly and intentionally carried out a scheme to defraud victims out of more than $2 million. In order to solicit investments, Bennington claimed to be a wealthy foreign exchange currency trader that had written a proprietary trading algorithm, which he alleged was the source of his wealth. Over the course of the scheme, Bennington promised annual returns of up to 80 percent and repayment terms as short as six months. He also created a fake website and fabricated monthly statements falsely showing victims were earning significant returns. Instead of investing his victims’ money as promised, Bennington spent it on extravagant trips, a golf simulator, and personal expenses such as rent, vehicle leases and credit card payments. On October 17, 2023, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a five-count indictment charging Bennington with wire fraud. Later, on April 4, 2024, Bennington pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. This case was investigated by the FBI, and was prosecuted by Robert Trisotto, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.


title: Ocala Man Arrested For Attempted Enticement Of A Minor

body_text: Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of Christopher Shaun Jonas (32, Ocala) on an indictment charging him with attempted enticement of a minor. If convicted, Jonas faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. The indictment was returned on August 6, 2024. According to court records, on July 23, 2024, Jonas contacted a profile on an internet application designed for prostitution. This profile, however, was operated by a Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) undercover detective. The undercover detective told Jonas that she was a 13-year-old girl and Jonas described in graphic detail the sexual acts that he wanted the girl to perform on him. Jonas subsequently agreed to pick up the child for the sexual encounter at a location in Marion County. When Jonas arrived, however, law enforcement arrested him. Investigators found the cellphone Jonas had used to communicate with the undercover detective inside his vehicle. 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 is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It case is being prosecuted by Hannah Nowalk. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Menan Man Sentenced for Trafficking Fentanyl

component: U.S. Attorneys (USAO)

body_text: POCATELLO – William Brian Thomson, 37, of Menan, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. According to court records, Bonneville County Sheriff’s deputies stopped a vehicle that was driven by Thomson. He fled on foot and was apprehended by law enforcement a short distance away. During a search of the vehicle, law enforcement discovered approximately 1,739 blue pills that later tested positive for fentanyl, a quarter pound of methamphetamine, and other drugs. A federal grand jury returned an indictment for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl in July of 2023. Thomson entered a guilty plea on April 24, 2024. Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Thomson to serve three years of federal supervised release following his prison sentence. U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the work of Bonneville County Sheriff's Office, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney, formerly the Eastern Idaho Partnership Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, Blythe McLane prosecuted the case. This case was handled by the U.S. Attorney Office’s specially deputized Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA), funded by the Eastern Idaho Partnership (EIP) and the State of Idaho. The EIP is a coalition of local city and county officials in eastern Idaho as well as the Idaho Department of Correction. The EIP SAUSA program allows law enforcement to utilize the federal criminal justice system – through the EIP SAUSA – to prosecute, convict, and sentence violent, armed criminals and drug traffickers. These criminals often receive stiffer penalties than they might in state courts. This program was created in January 2016. Since that time, approximately 224 defendants have been indicted by the EIP SAUSA. Of these defendants, 145 have been indicted on drug trafficking charges. The defendants indicted under the program have been sentenced to 10,477 months (approximately 873 years) in federal prison, representing an average prison sentence of 46.77 months (3.89 years). Defendants indicted for drug trafficking offenses serve, on average, approximately 72.25 months (6.02 years) in federal prison. ###


title: New Canaan to Make Significant Changes to Town Facilities to Comply with the ADA

component: Civil Rights - Disability Rights Section

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has reached a settlement agreement with the Town of New Canaan to resolve allegations that some of the town’s facilities did not comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”). The settlement agreement resolves a complaint filed by an individual alleging that some of New Canaan’s parks and sports facilities as well as parts of the Town Hall campus were inaccessible to individuals with mobility disabilities. Under federal law, municipalities must ensure that their programs, services, and activities are accessible to individuals with mobility disabilities. When municipalities alter or build new facilities, they must also make them accessible to persons with disabilities in accordance with the ADA Standards for Accessible Design. New Canaan is in the process of making the significant improvements required by the settlement agreement at Waveny Park, New Canaan High School, Mead Park, and the Town Hall. Some changes required by the settlement include adding accessible seating, parking, and routes to several sports fields and athletic facilities at New Canaan High School and Mead Park, and making numerous changes to the interior and exterior of Waveny House to make it more accessible, including adding an elevator. The town will also create an accessible route from Vine Cottage to the Town Hall. U.S. Attorney Avery commended the leadership of the Town of New Canaan for cooperating with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to resolve the investigation. “Individuals with disabilities should have equal access to their local park and be able to cheer on their children at a local high school game without worrying about inaccessible facilities,” said U.S. Attorney Avery. “I am pleased that New Canaan has made this commitment to making its facilities more accessible to individuals with disabilities.” Any member of the public who wishes to file a complaint alleging that a public entity or place of public accommodation in Connecticut is not accessible to persons with disabilities may contact the Civil Rights Intake Specialist at the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 203-696-3000. Additional information about the ADA can be found at www.ada.gov , or by calling the Justice Department’s toll-free information line at (800) 514-0301 and (833) 610-1264 (TTY). More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt . This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stewart C. Dearing in coordination with the Disability Rights Section of the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.


title: Brothers sentenced to prison for federal drug trafficking and firearms convictions

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

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A Hopewell man was sentenced today to four years and six months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. According to court documents, on Dec. 19, 2022, Virginia State Police (VSP) encountered Eric Michael Vaughan Jr., 32, in a Hopewell motel room when VSP executed a search warrant on the room. The room was rented by Vaughan’s brother, Quadir McKinnon, 34, of Hopewell, who previously sold 74.37 grams of cocaine, 4.43 grams of heroin, and 96.73 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential source. VSP recovered four firearms, 27.74 grams of cocaine, and 5.93 grams of a mixture containing heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl from the room. On Jan. 18, 2023, VSP apprehended McKinnon during a traffic stop. Vaughan was in the vehicle with McKinnon. In plain view on the center console of the vehicle was a loaded 9mm handgun. When McKinnon stepped out of the vehicle, a backpack that had also been present in the motel room during the search warrant was tangled in his feet. Inside the backpack were 41.85 grams of cocaine and 6.99 grams of methamphetamine, a digital scale, baggies, and marijuana. Under the front passenger seat, where Vaughan was sitting, was a loaded 9mm handgun and on the seat was a loose 9mm hollow-point round. In Vaughan’s pockets were .35 grams of a mixture of heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl and .76 grams of cocaine. On July 16, 2012, Vaughan, armed with a sawed-off shotgun, and a co-defendant robbed individuals in a home in Petersburg. Vaughan was convicted of eleven felonies, including robbery, burglary, use of a firearm in commission of a felony, and abduction. Vaughan was sentenced to 13 years in prison. Less than two months after Vaughan was released from prison, Vaughan threw a firearm from the window of his vehicle as a VSP Trooper attempted to stop him for speeding. Vaughan was convicted of possession of a firearm by a felon, reckless driving, eluding police, and driving without a license. Vaughan was sentenced to two years and 8 months in prison. Vaughan was on pre-trial release for those charges when he was encountered in the motel room on Dec. 19, 2022, and when he was arrested with his brother on Jan. 18, 2023. As a previously convicted felon, Vaughan cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition. McKinnon pled guilty on Sept. 13, 2023, to possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. On Jan. 31, McKinnon, a career offender, was sentenced to 14 years and seven months in prison. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; James VanVliet, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Police Superintendent, made the announcement after Vaughan was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Wright prosecuted the cases. Former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon E. Schulz, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, assisted in the prosecution of this case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 3:23-cr-152 (Vaughan) and 3:23-cr-116 (McKinnon).


title: Boston Physician Resolves Allegations of Improper Prescribing Practices Involving Controlled Substances

body_text: BOSTON – A physician who practiced at Brigham and Women’s Hospital has agreed to pay $25,000 in civil penalties to settle allegations that he violated the Controlled Substances Act by prescribing opioid controlled substances outside the usual course of professional practice. As part of the settlement agreement, Dr. Edgar Ross, 70, Boston, admitted that, for one patient, he prescribed a mix of controlled substances, including opioids, without always appropriately documenting the risks. Ross also provided early refills in response to the patient’s requests. After multiple hospitalizations and an overdose, the hospital arranged for another physician to take over Ross’s treatment of the patient. As part of the settlement, Ross entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the DEA that requires him to work with an independent compliance monitor for three years. “Safe prescribing of drugs—particularly opioids—is essential to patient and public safety and a priority for our office,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “This settlement is an example of how our office and the DEA work to ensure that doctors prescribe dangerous medications only when they are acting within the scope of proper professional practice and with appropriate safeguards in place to prevent and address abuse. We will continue to work with our partners at the DEA to protect patients and enforce the Controlled Substances Act.” “DEA registrants are responsible for handling controlled substances responsibly and ensuring that complete and accurate records are being properly kept and accounted for in compliance with the Controlled Substances Act,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Stephen Belleau, Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division. “We are committed to working with our law enforcement and regulatory partners to ensure that these rules and regulations are followed.” Under the Controlled Substances Act, physicians and other prescribers registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration (the DEA) may only issue prescriptions for a legitimate medical purpose and in the usual course of professional practice. Acting United States Attorney Levy and DEA ASAC Belleau made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Brazier of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit handled the case.


title: Texas Woman Sentenced for Defrauding Elderly West Virginia Man

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Tosha Lantz, 31, of Aransas Pass, Texas, was sentenced today to 6 months in federal prison for mail fraud. According to court documents and statements made in court, Lantz, when residing in Randolph County, West Virginia, transferred funds from an elderly man’s bank accounts for her own benefit. Lantz also used the man’s identifying information to open credit cards for her personal use. The total amount of the fraud was $32,400. Lantz will also serve three years of supervised release following her prison sentence. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and West Virginia State Police investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod Douglas prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided. If you know of an elderly person who has been the victim of financial fraud, please contact the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311) or send an email to wvfraud@fbi.gov .


title: Federal Inmate Arrested For Forcible Assault On Correctional Officers And Possession Of Contraband

body_text: Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of Muller Vedrine (33, Miami) on a two-count indictment charging him with assaulting, resisting, and impeding officers of the United States, and possession of contraband by a federal inmate. If convicted, Vedrine faces up to 14 years in federal prison. According to court records, Vedrine is a federal inmate at the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex in Sumter County. On March 10, 2024, during a routine search of Vedrine’s cell, correctional officers observed Vedrine with a cellphone in his hand. When the officers ordered Vedrine to hand over the contraband phone, he instead punched a correctional officer in the chest and then began smashing the phone. Once the officers subdued Vedrine, they also discovered buprenorphine, a Schedule III controlled substance, hidden with the legal documents in his prison cell. 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 is being prosecuted as part of a United States Department of Justice task force aimed at rooting out contraband and misconduct in the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP). The task force was led by the FBOP and the DOJ Office of the Inspector General, with support from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.


title: Jacksonville Armed Career Criminal Sentenced To 15 Years In Federal Prison

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced David Wayne Riddle (30, Jacksonville) to 15 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Riddle entered a guilty plea on May 22, 2024. According to court documents, on January 8, 2023, Riddle was stopped by officers from the Jacksonville Sherriff’s Office after they had observed Riddle not wearing his seat belt while driving. When the officers encountered Riddle, they smelled marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. A search of the vehicle was conducted, and a loaded Smith and Wesson pistol was recovered from under the front passenger seat. Riddle was interviewed and admitted that he possessed the firearm knowing that he was a convicted felon. Riddle has multiple prior felony convictions for serious drug related offenses and violent crimes making him prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro. 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: Sacramento Woman Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Role in Conspiracy to Sell Methamphetamine and Heroin in Sacramento and Solano Counties

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Nancy Dalila Escobar Garcia, 35, of Sacramento County, was sentenced today to five years in prison for conspiring to possess and distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, Nancy Garcia conspired with her husband Michael Garcia (a co‑defendant in this case) to sell methamphetamine and heroin in Sacramento and Solano Counties. Nancy Garcia began this conspiracy with her husband while he was serving a state sentence for narcotics offenses at the Tulare County Jail. In furtherance of this conspiracy, Nancy Garcia met with an FBI confidential informant on three separate occasions and personally sold the informant a total of 4 pounds of methamphetamine. During these meetings, Nancy Garcia began to negotiate a firearms sale with the informant and was present at the illegal firearms sale described below. Nancy Garcia also admitted that she and her husband bought a home in Arizona with drug proceeds. Nancy Garcia pleaded guilty on May 21, 2024, and as part of her plea agreement, she is assisting the United States in the forfeiture of this home. Once out of state custody, Michael Garcia continued the conspiracy to sell methamphetamine and heroin. He also set up a deal with co-defendant Tylor Combs to sell firearms to the informant. Nancy Garcia, Michael Garcia, and Tylor Combs were present at this illegal firearms deal, which involved 10 firearms, including an unserialized machine gun sometimes called a “ghost gun” that is untraceable. This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case. Tylor Combs pleaded guilty to to counts of being a felon in possession of firearms. On Nov. 12, 2021, he was sentenced to six years and six months in prison. Michael Garcia has pleaded not guilty and remains in federal custody. The charges are only allegations; Michael Garcia is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. 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 U.S. Department of Justice 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 case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see www.justice.gov/projectguardian .


title: Former Rutherfordton ABC Store Manager Pleads Guilty To Wire Fraud And Money Laundering For Embezzling More Than $374,000

body_text: ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Russel Edward Hester, 72, of Rutherfordton, N.C., appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge W. Carleton Metcalf yesterday and pleaded guilty to federal charges for embezzling $374,807.10 from the Alcohol Beverage Control Board of Rutherfordton, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Charlotte Field Office, Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), which oversees Charlotte, and Chief Clint Ingle of the Rutherfordton Police Department, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to filed plea documents, from December 2021 to October 2023, Hester embezzled at least $374,807.10 from the Alcohol Beverage Control Board of Rutherfordton (the Board) which manages the ABC Store where Hester worked as a manager for nearly 10 years. As store manager, Hester had access to, and control over, the Board’s financial accounts and records, wrote checks to pay bills, and was responsible for creating the budget each year. Hester was also responsible for providing all information needed for the annual independent third-party audit of the ABC Store. According to court records, beginning as early as December 19, 2021, Hester used the Board’s debit card to withdraw funds at Two Kings Casino. Continuing until October 22, 2023, Hester used this debit card at the casino 192 times to withdraw funds totaling $374,807.10, and used the money to gamble, primarily playing slot machines. On days where Hester used the Board’s debit card, he won jackpots totaling $1,469,368.31, and deposited the winnings into his personal bank accounts. For example, on July 4, 2023, Hester used the Board’s debit card to withdraw $3,000 at Two Kings Casino. Hester then placed these funds into a slot machine and won a jackpot of $18,350. Hester elected to have this jackpot issued in the form of a check, which he deposited into a bank account under his control. Plea documents also show that Hester took steps to cover up the embezzlement. For example, during the Board’s 2023 annual independent audit, Hester provided multiple altered and falsified bank statements to the auditor. In furtherance of the fraud, Hester removed transactions from the casino, added fabricated transactions, and falsified bank account balances on the statements before providing them to the auditor. Hester pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering. He is currently released on bond. At sentencing, Hester faces up to 20 years in prison for the wire fraud charge and 10 years in prison for the money laundering charge. A federal district court judge will determine Hester’s sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing date has not been set. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended IRS-CI, USPIS, and the Rutherfordton Police Department for their investigation of the case and thanked the Rutherford County District Attorney’s Office for its invaluable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex M. Scott of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville is prosecuting the case.


title: Mullins Man Sentenced to Nearly 10 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Crack Cocaine

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: FLORENCE, S.C. — Mark McGarret Lewis, 52, of Mullins, was sentenced to nearly 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to five counts of distribution of crack cocaine. Evidence presented to the court showed that on five separate occasions in April 2019, Lewis distributed a quantity of crack cocaine to a confidential informant. Lewis committed the offense after having two prior federal convictions, one for bank fraud and one for possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of crack cocaine, as well as two other state drug convictions for conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and distribution of crack cocaine. United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Lewis to 110 months' imprisonment, to be followed by a six-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. 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 case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Marion County Combined Drug Unit, and the Mullins Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Hummel is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Israeli Freight Forwarder Pleads Guilty to Violating Export Restrictions Imposed on Russia

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – Gal Haimovich, 49, of Israel, pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiracy to commit export control and smuggling violations for his role in a scheme to illegally ship aircraft parts and avionics from U.S. manufacturers and suppliers to Russia, including for the benefit of sanctioned Russian airline companies. As part of his plea agreement, Haimovich admitted that his scheme involved deceiving U.S. companies about the true destination of the goods at issue, and that the defendant and others attempted to conceal the scheme by submitting false information in export documents filed with the U.S. government. A sentencing hearing has been set for Nov. 22. According to court documents, Haimovich owned an international freight forwarding company that was an affiliate in a group of companies that did business in various countries, including the United States and Israel. Haimovich, through those companies, operated as a freight forwarder of choice for individuals and entities seeking to illegally export goods to Russia in violation of U.S. export control laws. Between at least March 2022 and May 2023, Haimovich facilitated the export of aircraft parts and avionics, including those with missile technology applications, from the United States, through the Southern District of Florida, to various third-party transhippers on behalf of Russian customers. These Russian end customers routinely instructed Haimovich to deceive the U.S.-based manufacturers and suppliers about the ultimate destination of the goods. For example, between April 2022 and April 2023, after the United States imposed additional restrictions on the export of goods to Russia in response to the country’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Haimovich arranged for more than 160 shipments to companies in the Maldives and United Arab Emirates that were responsible for the illicit transshipment of the goods to Russia. One such shipment, of an air data module, occurred in August 2022. Haimovich, who had been hired by Siberia Airlines (doing business as S7 Airlines) to deliver the aircraft component to Russia, directed a co-conspirator to falsely inform the U.S. supplier that the part was destined for the Maldives; in fact, Haimovich knew that the part was destined for Russia for the benefit of S7 Airlines. Haimovich also agreed that, between March 2022 and May 2023, he billed Russian customers, including Siberia Airlines (doing business as S7 Airlines), more than $2 million to have aircraft parts and avionics illegally exported from the United States to Russia. In connection with Haimovich’s plea, he agreed to the entry of a forfeiture money judgment in the sum of $2,024,435 and to forfeit various aircraft parts and components. The Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement and the FBI investigated the case. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod of the U.S. Commerce Department and Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI National Security Branch made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Browne for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Christopher M. Rigali of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case. This case is being coordinated through the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export controls and economic countermeasures that the United States, along with its foreign allies and partners, has imposed in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. Announced by the Attorney General on March 2, 2022, and under the leadership of the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, the task force will continue to leverage all of the department’s tools and authorities to combat efforts to evade or undermine the collective actions taken by the U.S. government in response to Russian military aggression. You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-cr-20374. ###