title: Former Bronson Coach Sentenced To 480 Months In Federal Prison For Production Of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Billy McCall, Jr., 41, of Gainesville, Florida, was sentenced to a term of 480 months in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to three counts of production of child pornography. The sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. “Crimes against children are among the most heinous types of offenses and deserving of the most significant sentences,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “The sexual abuse of children – here by a trusted educator – robs them of their innocence and results in devastating psychological pain. We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to investigate and vigorously prosecute those who seek to harm our most vulnerable.” In July of 2022, the Levy County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) received a report from a 15-year-old boy who was a student at Bronson Middle/High School, located in Bronson, Florida. The child, who played for the Bronson basketball team, reported that McCall, his basketball coach, had inappropriately touched the child, and had solicited explicit videos from the child. Further investigation by the LCSO led to the interview of two other child victims, who were also members of the Bronson basketball team coached by McCall. On July 27, 2022, McCall was arrested by the LCSO on state charges related to lewd and lascivious molestation of a person 12 years of age or older but under 16 years of age. During the arrest, law enforcement seized a cellular telephone from McCall, which was later forensically examined. Extraction of that device led to discovery of numerous videos, recorded at the defendant’s house through use of a camera installed in the bathroom, depicting nude male child victims engaged in sexual conduct, at least one of which included the defendant personally engaged in sexual contact with the child. “The betrayal of trust by a coach, who is meant to guide and protect the children in his care, highlights the darkest side of humanity and warrants the toughest accountability,” said Homeland Security Investigation Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “Those who exploit the innocence of our youth not only commit an unthinkable act but also perpetuate a life-long cycle of suffering. We stand united with our law enforcement partners to ensure that justice is served, and that we protect the vulnerable from those who seek to harm them.” McCall’s prison sentence will be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, and he will be required to register as a sex offender and be subject to all sex offender conditions. The Court also ordered forfeiture of an electronic device used to store the child pornography produced by McCall. McCall’s prison sentence will run concurrent to a twenty-year state prison sentence imposed in the State case for which McCall was arrested on July 27, 2022. This conviction was the result of a joint investigation conducted by the Levy County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorneys Frank Williams and David Byron prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office to Work with Local Partners  to Reduce Domestic Violence

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has approved an initial set of 78 communities across 47 states, territories, and the District of Columbia for designation under Section 1103 of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022. San Juan, in the District of Puerto Rico, has been designated as a participant in this initiative. The Justice Department - through its United States Attorney’s offices (USAOs) and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Field Divisions - will partner with designated jurisdictions to develop plans to reduce intimate partner firearm violence and to prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders who are prohibited from owning firearms under Title 18 United States Code § 922(g). Communities were selected for participation in this initiative in collaboration with community stakeholders, seeking diverse representation from rural areas, suburban areas, urban areas, and Tribal communities. The Justice Department used data to identify communities that could benefit from additional resources to address intimate partner violence, and the local jurisdictions committed to partnering with the Department to prosecute offenders under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g). The designation represents a coordinated effort between the Department and the local jurisdictions to ensure federal resources are being leveraged effectively to address intimate partner firearm violence. “The United States. Attorney’s Office will continue allocating resources to effectively respond to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “We appreciate the support of our partners at ATF and other state, local and federal law enforcement agencies, as well as health care providers and other professionals in addressing domestic and related violence.” “ATF stays in unison with our state and local partners in combatting intimate partner violence against members of our community,” said Christopher A. Robinson, Special Agent in Charge ATF Miami Field Division. In addition, the Department of Justice has recently awarded, among others, the following grants to support community efforts to expand domestic violence prevention and intervention in Puerto Rico: The Women’s Advocate Office received $1,882,464 from the Office of Violence Against Women for the OVW Fiscal Year 2024 STOP Formula Grant Program The Puerto Rico Department of Justice received $7,293,295 from the Office of Justice Programs, Office of Victims of Crime entitled OVC FY24 VOCA Victim Assistance Formula Grant The Puerto Rico Department of Justice received $500,000 from the Office of Violence Against Women for the OVW Fiscal Year 2024 Enhancing Investigation and Prosecution of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking (EIP) Initiative Solo Por Hoy received $500,000 from the office of Violence Against Women for the OVW Fiscal Year 2024 Grants to Prevent and Respond to Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, Stalking, and Sex Trafficking Against Children and Youth Program The Women’s Advocate Office received $854,654 from the Office of Violence Against Women for the OVW Fiscal Year 2024 Sexual Assault Services Formula Program Proyecto Matria, Inc. received $400,000 from the Office of Violence Against Women for the OVW Fiscal Year 2024 Legal Assistance for Victims Grant Program Expanding Legal Services Initiative Coordinadora Paz para la Mujer received $367,379 from the Office of Violence Against Women for the OVW Fiscal Year 2024 State and Territory Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Boys & Girls Club of PR Inc. received $350,000 from the Office of Violence Against Women for the OVW Fiscal Year 2024 Grants to Engage Men and Boys as Allies in the Prevention of Violence Against Women and Girls Program. The Justice Department anticipates additional jurisdictions to be designated under Section 1103 of VAWA as USAOs continue to coordinate resources with their local stakeholders. All USAOs, with or without specific community designations under Section 1103, will continue to combat intimate partner firearm violence and prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders as part of their Project Safe Neighborhoods strategy and in support of the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime. Complete List of Jurisdictions Designated under Section 1103 as of September 11, 2024: Montgomery County, Alabama Jefferson County, Alabama Little Rock, Arkansas Washington County, Arkansas Fresno, California San Diego, California Hartford, Connecticut Ward 7, District of Columbia Jacksonville, Florida Alachua County, Florida Metro Miami-Dade County, Florida Macon-Bibb County, Georgia DeKalb County, Georgia Augusta, Georgia City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii Ada County, Idaho Danville, Illinois Rockford, Illinois Madison County, Illinois Gary, Indiana Indianapolis, Indiana Des Moines, Iowa Linn County, Iowa Garden City, Kansas Fayette County, Kentucky Louisville, Kentucky Orleans Parish, Louisiana Rapides Parish, Louisiana Western Maine Region: Franklin, Oxford, and Androscoggin Counties, Maine Baltimore City, Maryland Boston, Massachusetts Saginaw, Michigan Lansing, Michigan Greenville, Mississippi Jackson, Mississippi Cape Girardeau County, Missouri Greene County, Missouri Gallatin County and Bozeman, Montana Northeast Omaha, Nebraska Las Vegas, Nevada Strafford County, New Hampshire Bernalillo County, New Mexico Borough of Brooklyn, New York Onondaga County, New York Borough and County of the Bronx, New York Monroe County, New York Fayetteville and Cumberland County, North Carolina Forsyth County, North Carolina Asheville (including Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians), North Carolina Grand Forks, North Dakota Toledo, Ohio Muskogee County, Oklahoma Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Oklahoma Portland, Oregon Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania Dauphin County, Pennsylvania Allegheny County, Pennsylvania San Juan, Puerto Rico Pawtucket, Rhode Island Greenville County, South Carolina Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota City of Chattanooga, Tennessee Memphis/Shelby County, Tennessee Gregg County, Texas Amarillo, Texas Houston, Texas San Antonio, Texas Salt Lake County, Utah South Hampton Roads (Chesapeake/Norfolk/Portsmouth/Virginia Beach), Virginia Oswald Harris Court Housing Community, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands Chittenden County, Vermont Spokane County, Washington King County, Washington Wheeling Area (Ohio/Brooke/Hancock Counties), West Virginia Kanawha County, West Virginia Milwaukee, Wisconsin Dane County, Wisconsin Fremont County, Wyoming # # #


title: Iowa Man Sentenced for Illegally Purchasing Firearms for Others

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: Tyler Meriweather, age 24, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, was sentenced on September 17, 2024, to 30 months’ imprisonment for illegally purchasing firearms for others. Meriweather pled guilty on March 4, 2024, to the straw purchase of firearms. Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that Meriweather purchased multiple firearms from federal firearms licensed businesses in Iowa for individuals he knew were prohibited from possessing or purchasing firearms, including a relative in California who is a felon. After a firearm was recovered from a minor in Fort Dodge, investigators determined the firearm had originally been purchased by Meriweather. Further investigation showed Meriweather purchased additional firearms. When interviewed, Meriweather ultimately admitted to purchasing firearms on behalf of others who could not legally purchase them. Additionally, Meriweather admitted to being a user of marijuana, despite denying it on his firearms purchasing forms. Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Meriweather was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment and must serve a one-year term of supervised release following the term of imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jack Lammers and Patrick Greenwood and was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and Fort Dodge Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-CR-03038. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Seven Charged after Federal Investigation Disrupts Massive Counterfeit Pill Manufacturing Operation

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division, today announced that a federal grand jury in Bridgeport has returned an indictment charging the following seven individuals with offenses related to the large-scale manufacture and trafficking of counterfeit pills containing synthetic opioids and other substances: KELLDON HINTON , 45, of New Haven HESHIMA HARRIS , 53 of New Haven EMANUEL PAYTON , 33, of New Haven MARVIN OGMAN , 47, of West Haven SHAWN STEPHENS , 34, of West Haven ARNALDO ECHEVARRIA , 42, of Waterbury CHERYLE TYSON , 64, of West Haven As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an investigation led by the DEA New Haven’s Tactical Diversion Squad and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service targeting the manufacture and distribution of counterfeit oxycodone, Xanax, and Adderall tablets containing methamphetamine, protonitazene, dimethylpentylone, xylazine, and other substances. Protonitazene is a Schedule I synthetic opioid that is three times more potent than fentanyl. In June 2023, law enforcement received information that Kelldon Hinton was using a pill press to manufacture large quantities of counterfeit pills containing controlled substances. Through the use of physical and electronic surveillance, the seizure and searches of parcels sent through the U.S. Mail and commercial delivery services, undercover purchases of counterfeit pills, trash pulls, and other investigative methods, investigators determined that Hinton, with the assistance of his co-conspirators, was purchasing protonitazene, dimethypentalone, xylazine, other substances, and pill press parts from China and elsewhere, using tableting machines (“pill presses”) to manufacture counterfeit pills in a garage he rented in East Haven, marketing and selling the pills on the dark web, and mailing pills to customers around the U.S. In text messages, Hinton referred to the rented garage as his “lab.” Between February 2023 and February 2024, Hinton shipped more than 1,300 packages through the U.S. Mail. Hinton also distributed the counterfeit pills to associates in Connecticut, who sold them to their own customers. On September 5, 2024, Hinton, Harris, Payton, Stephens, and Echevarria were arrested on federal criminal complaints. On that date, investigators conducted court-authorized searches of several locations, including the garage located on Tyler Street Extension in East Haven, which yielded several hundred thousand pills, two large pill presses, and pill manufacturing equipment. One of the pill presses seized was capable of producing 100,000 pills per hour. It is further alleged that, as the investigation continued, Ogman communicated with Tyson and shared with her news reports of the search and court information of the arrests. He also continued to distribute pills produced by Hinton, and law enforcement is currently investigating a drug overdose death that occurred recently in Connecticut. Pills recovered from the scene appear to match those produced by the Hinton organization, and a preliminary search of the victim’s cellphone text messages revealed that Ogman supplied pills to the victim. The indictment added Ogman and Tyson as defendants, and was returned on September 18. Ogman and Tyson were arrested on September 19. The indictment charges each of the seven defendants with conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and protonitazene. On this charge, based on the quantities of controlled substances attributed to each defendant, Hinton faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life, and the other six defendants each face a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. The indictment also charges Hinton with one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of protonitazene, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and maximum term of imprisonment of life, and Echevarria with one count of possession with intent to distribute protonitazene, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Hinton, Payton, and Ogman are currently detained, and Harris, Stephens, Echevarria, and Tyson are released pending trial. “This multifaceted investigation is a testament to great law enforcement work by agencies here in Connecticut and across the country,” said U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery. “I commend the DEA New Haven, members of its Tactical Diversion Squad, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, for leading this effort. “This investigation reveals the constant challenges that we in law enforcement face in battling the proliferation of synthetic opioids in America. In recent years, the Justice Department and our law enforcement partners have focused on disrupting the global supply chain of fentanyl, other synthetic drugs, precursor chemicals, and pill manufacturing equipment, from China and Mexico to the United States. These enhanced efforts are clearly represented by this investigation and these charges. But, clearly, our work is not yet done. We know that prosecution alone is not enough to combat the deadly scourge caused in our communities by fentanyl, other synthetic drugs, and counterfeit pills. We all need to keep working together, through criminal investigations and prosecutions, treatment programs, and public awareness campaigns, such as the school presentations undertaken by my office, to educate and warn children and adults about the dangers and harm that even one counterfeit pill can cause.” “This country is in the midst of a catastrophic overdose epidemic where the threat from synthetic opioids and methamphetamine disguised in fake prescription medication remains high,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Stephen Belleau, Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division. “This case showcases one of the largest seizures of fake pills the DEA has ever seen in New England. Those responsible for distributing lethal drugs to the citizens of Connecticut need to be held accountable for their actions. DEA will aggressively pursue Drug Trafficking Organizations and individuals who distribute this poison in order to profit and destroy people’s lives. This investigation demonstrates the strength and continued commitment of our local, state and federal law enforcement partners.” “These enforcement actions, which included the arrests of seven individuals and the execution of search warrants at six locations, resulted in the disruption of a significant trans-national operation and the dismantling of one of the largest illicit manufacturing sites ever located in Connecticut,” said Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division for the Postal Inspection Service. “This investigation highlights the effectiveness of the collaborative efforts among the involved agencies but also the real danger posed by individuals who engage in these crimes. The Postal Inspection Service is proud to stand with our partners in identifying, disrupting, and dismantling these drug tracking organizations which endanger our communities.” U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This investigation is being conducted by the DEA New Haven’s Tactical Diversion Squad and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with the assistance of the DEA Chicago Cyber Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the East Haven Police Department. The DEA Tactical Diversion Squad is composed of personnel from the DEA, the Connecticut State Police, and the West Haven, Hamden, Manchester, Bristol, Fairfield, and Seymour Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren C. Clark and Konstantin Lantsman. More information on the Justice Department’s efforts to disrupt to global supply chain of fentanyl and other synthetic drugs is available here . In March 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DEA’s New England Field Division released a public service announcement warning of the danger of fentanyl and the proliferation of counterfeit prescription pills. Click here for more information. To learn more about the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s fentanyl awareness and drug prevention program for students, click here .


title: Memphis Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for Possession of a Machinegun

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – A federal judge has sentenced Jaquan Bridges , 22 , of Memphis, to 9 years in federal prison for possession of a machinegun. Acting United States Attorney Reagan Fondren announced the sentence today. On February 1, 2022, a Shelby County Sheriff’s Deputy observed Bridges driving near I-240 and Walnut Grove, traveling slowly while looking at his cell phone. The deputy activated emergency equipment to alert Bridges to put his phone down. Bridges rolled down his passenger-side window and fired gunshots at the deputy’s vehicle, striking it several times. Bridges then fled, leading deputies on a high-speed pursuit for 10 miles, before Bridges hit at least three other vehicles and crashed into a concrete barrier. When Bridges was taken into custody, deputies recovered a Glock .40 caliber pistol with an attached machinegun conversion device (known as a “switch”) and extended magazine. On February 6, 2024, Bridges pled guilty to possessing a machinegun. On September 17, 2024, Senior United States District Judge John T. Fowlkes sentenced Bridges to 108 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. “We have a serious gun violence problem in Memphis,” said Acting United States Attorney Fondren. “This conviction demonstrates our ongoing commitment to prosecuting violent offenders and bringing to justice those who violate federal firearms laws and endanger our community. Our office will continue to work with the Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force and other law enforcement partners to reduce violent crime in our community. The citizens of Memphis and Shelby County deserve to feel safe.” “This conviction is a testament to our deputies’ hard work and dedication and to the legal team involved in this case,” said Shelby County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Anthony Buckner. “Bridges’ actions posed a significant threat to our deputy and the community at large. We are grateful for our deputies’ swift response and the collaboration with prosecutors that led to this outcome. It sends a strong message that we will not tolerate violence against our law enforcement personnel, and those who engage in such behavior will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. Our top priority remains our deputies’ and citizens’ safety. This case underscores the importance of continued support for law enforcement agencies as they work tirelessly to protect our communities. We will continue to strive for justice and ensure that our streets are safe for everyone.” 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. Acting United States Attorney Fondren thanked Assistant United States Attorney Eileen Kuo, who prosecuted this case, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated the case. ### For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: RGV man receives consecutive sentences after trafficking meth on multiple occasions

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 31-year-old Mission man has been ordered to federal prison following his convictions of two counts of possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Esteban Almentor-Lopez faced two separate narcotics charges and pleaded guilty March 1, 2021, and Dec. 20, 2022. Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Almentor-Lopez to serve 70 months in federal prison for the initial drug trafficking as well as a consecutive 50 months for his subsequent conviction. His total 120-month sentence will be immediately followed by four years of supervised release. In November 2020, law enforcement conducted an operation involving communication with a Mexican drug source of supply. The organization was to deliver kilogram quantities of meth in the Rio Grande Valley for transport to Chicago, Illinois. On two occasions in November 2020, Almentor-Lopez transported and delivered a total of 40 kilograms of meth in Mission. He was arrested but granted bond pending further proceedings. On March 1, 2021, Almentor-Lopez pleaded guilty to those charges. However, the next day, authorities again apprehended him transporting and delivering an additional 20 kilograms of meth on behalf of the same drug organization. The approximately 60 kilograms of meth Almentor-Lopez trafficked showed a purity level of 100%. Almentor-Lopez has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Garcia prosecuted the case.


title: Federal Judge Sentences Man to Ten Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing Firearm in Rockford

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

body_text: ROCKFORD — A federal judge has sentenced a Rockford man to ten years in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm in Rockford. LAWNDALE PELTS, 36, was found guilty of the firearm offense in May following a jury trial in federal court in Rockford. U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston imposed the sentence on Friday. According to evidence presented at trial, on July 6, 2021, multiple people began shooting at each other in a residential neighborhood on 41st Avenue in Rockford. Home security footage depicted Pelts in possession of a firearm as he fled the shooting. Pelts threw his gun in a residential yard and later, while at the hospital, lied to police about what happened. As a previously convicted felon, Pelts was prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms. The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and Carla Redd, Chief of the Rockford Police Department. The Beloit, Wisc. Police Department assisted in the investigation. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Maveus and Cassandra Maier. Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) – the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy. In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.


title: Memphis Man Resentenced to Fifty Years in Prison

body_text: Memphis, TN – A federal judge recently resentenced Louie Holloway , 43 , of Memphis, to fifty years in federal prison for attempted robbery of John Stambaugh in 2002 and firearms crimes. Acting United States Attorney Reagan Fondren announced the sentence today. According to the information presented in court, on September 8, 2002, John Stambaugh, a student at the University of Memphis, was robbed and murdered by a shotgun blast while delivering pizza in Memphis’s Cooper-Young neighborhood. Holloway was identified as a suspect and later charged with attempted robbery and gun crimes. In 2008, after a jury trial, Holloway was found guilty of attempted robbery, discharging a firearm in furtherance of attempted robbery, and three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was sentenced to life in prison. Due to changes in the law which went into effect in 2022, Holloway’s firearm conviction was vacated, and the district court scheduled a resentencing hearing. At that hearing, United States District Judge Samuel H. Mays sentenced Holloway to 600 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the Memphis Police Department. Acting United States Attorney Reagan Fondren thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Tony Arvin and Naya Bedini, who prosecuted this case at the post-conviction stage, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated the case. ### For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: Illinois Man Charged with Helping to Scam Elderly Victims Out of Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars in Retirement Savings

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS—A federal grand jury had charged Abdul Mohammed, 31, of Des Plaines, Illinois, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and two counts of wire fraud. According to the indictment, Mohammed and other conspirators allegedly participated in a scheme in which conspirators contacted victims, typically the elderly, and claimed to be a government agent. The conspirators falsely represented that the victims had been compromised in some way and needed to provide money to federal law enforcement for safekeeping. The conspirators instructed victims convert their savings and retirement accounts to cash or gold bars, and to provide those funds to law enforcement for “protection.” In one instance, an elderly victim began receiving unsolicited phone calls, texts, and emails from a conspirator purporting to be “Agent Roy” of the FBI. “Agent Roy” told the victim that his computer had been hacked and his personal information was compromised. “Agent Roy” also told the victim he was implicated in a drug crime. “Agent Roy” instructed the victim to withdraw $80,000 from retirement their accounts and exchange it for gold bars or it would be frozen by the IRS. A member of the conspiracy, acting as “Agent Roy,” then met the victim in a Meijer parking lot in Westfield to collect the gold bars. Even after delivering the gold, the victim was led to believe their money was not safe and they needed to give the “agents” more money. On December 8, 2023, an unknown member of the conspiracy emailed the elderly victim with a document from “Officer Jason Roy” which bore a purported seal from the Department of Justice. The document instructed the victim to withdraw funds and provide them to FBI agents as part of an operation. The document further stated “If . . . at any point of time you deny to follow our instructions or disclose this information to anyone all your accounts will be frozen.” A few weeks later, Abdul Mohammed met the victim in the same parking lot in an attempt to collect another $45,000 in cash. “There is an outstanding warrant for the arrest of Abdul Mohammed, a resident of Des Plaines, Illinois, following a federal indictment alleging his involvement in a scheme to defraud elderly victims through false claims that federal law enforcement agencies were seeking to keep their money safe,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “We encourage Mr. Mohammed to contact the FBI immediately to arrange for his safe surrender to answer the charges against him. Mr. Mohammed, or anyone with information on his whereabouts, should contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or online at http://tips.fbi.gov ." The FBI is investigating this case. If convicted, Abdul Mohammed faces up to 60 years in federal prison. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Eakman, who is prosecuting this case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Cumberland County Man Charged With Impersonating A Deputy U.S. Marshal

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that William Graves, Jr., age 50, of New Cumberland, Pennsylvania, was charged in a criminal information with false personation of an officer or employee of the United States. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the information alleges that on multiple occasions in 2022 and 2023, Graves falsely represented himself to be a deputy U.S. Marshal. The information alleges that during a traffic stop conducted by the Pennsylvania State Police, Graves displayed a U.S. Marshals badge and identification and stated that he worked with the U.S. Marshals. The information also alleges that Graves falsely told other individuals that he was engaged in locating and apprehending fugitives. The case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlo D. Marchioli is prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is three years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Nashua Man Sentenced to 41 Months in Federal Prison for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Nashua man was sentenced today in federal court for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Dwayne Frechette, 60, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Laplante to 41 months in federal prison and 5 years of supervised release. Frechette was ordered to pay $15,000 in restitution. On May 31, 2024, Frechette pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography. Frechette was identified during an undercover investigation involving a peer-to-peer network used to exchange CSAM. During the investigation, agents identified an IP address in Nashua that was using the peer-to-peer network to make images of CSAM available for others to download. The target IP address geolocated to a restaurant in Nashua, where it was later determined that Frechette was a delivery driver. A search warrant for the restaurant resulted in the seizure of Frechette’s cell phone, which was found to contain hundreds of cached images of CSAM. “The daily horror felt by child survivors of online child exploitation is unimaginable,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “While we will never be able to erase all of the illegal images circulating online, or the pain caused by crimes like the defendant’s, law enforcement in New Hampshire will continue to combat the spread of child sexual abuse material and protect these survivors from further harm as best as we can.” “Every time a video or image of CSAM is shared, the harm and trauma inflicted upon a child spreads. These cases are extremely difficult, but HSI is committed to working with our partners to protect children and ensure predators like Frechette are brought to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations in New England. Homeland Security Investigations and the Nashua Police Department led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasey Weiland is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . ###


title: Four Members of Organized Retail Theft Group Sentenced to Federal Prison

body_text: Memphis, TN – Four Memphians were recently sentenced to federal prison for their roles in an organized retail theft conspiracy that resulted in millions of dollars in goods being shoplifted and mailed across the nation through the U.S. Postal Service. Reagan Fondren, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentences today. Evidence presented in court revealed that between approximately April 2018 and May 2020, Latasha Brooks , 42, Coyoti Carter , 47, and Tarnisha Woods, 49, shoplifted large quantities of health and beauty products including memory supplements, hair regrowth treatments, weight loss aids, and allergy medicines. During that time, Keith Guy, 38, paid Brooks for the stolen goods. Brooks in turn paid Carter and Woods for their contributions of stolen product. Guy then sold the stolen product to resellers over the internet and used the U.S. Postal Service to ship hundreds of parcels containing the goods to locations across the United States. The investigation revealed that the estimated retail value of the products stolen by the conspiracy was over $4 million. The defendants were indicted in December 2023 by a federal grand jury with conspiracy to commit interstate shipment of stolen property. The defendants each pleaded guilty and have been sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Sheryl H. Lipman. On August 12, 2024, Woods was sentenced to 15 months of imprisonment with 3 years of supervised release to follow. On August 13, 2024, Brooks was sentenced to 34 months of imprisonment with 3 years of supervised release to follow. On August 22, 2024, Carter was sentenced to 12 months and 1 day of imprisonment with 3 years of supervised release to follow. On September 13, 2024, Guy was sentenced to 34 months of imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release to follow. There is no parole in the federal system. The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service Memphis Field Office. Acting United States Attorney Reagan Fondren thanked Assistant United States Attorney Scott Smith, who prosecuted this case, as well as law enforcement partners for their role in the investigation. ### For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: Florida Woman Sentenced to Prison for Financially Exploiting Her Grandmother

body_text: BENTON, Ill. – A southern Illinois judge sentenced a Florida woman to 3 years’ imprisonment after she admitted to scamming her grandmother living in Cahokia Heights out of more than $300,000. Tanya M. Aboseada, 39, of Pompano Beach, Florida, pleaded guilty to 12 counts of wire fraud in May. “Seniors are warned to avoid giving money to strangers who may be looking to take advantage of them, but it’s a different kind of deceit when criminals target their own elderly family members,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “I appreciate our partnership with the FBI to bring justice for the grandmother, who was simply wanting to help her grandchild she thought was in need.” According to court documents, Aboseada convinced her grandmother to wire money into her bank account under false pretenses on at least 12 occasions between November 2021 and August 2022. Aboseada admitted to lying to her grandmother about needing money to transfer a truck title into her name, owing money to the IRS, paying attorney fees and fines for a vehicular accident she was in, and paying the family of an alleged child she killed in a vehicular accident to avoid going to jail. In total, Aboseada admitted to stealing $317,049 from her grandmother. “The fraud perpetrated by Tanya Aboseada relied on the love and devotion of a family member, which is in many ways more heartless than when the perpetrator is a stranger,” said FBI Springfield Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher Johnson. “The FBI upholds an unwavering commitment to deliver justice to victims of elder fraud, and to prioritize the pursuit of those who deliberately target vulnerable seniors.” In addition to imprisonment, the judge ordered Aboseada to pay $317,049 in restitution and serve three years of supervised release. This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative . The FBI Springfield Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Verseman and Kathleen Howard prosecuted the case.


title: Businessman Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Federal Prison for Running Fencing Operation out of Suburban Chicago Stores

body_text: CHICAGO — A businessman has been sentenced to more than two years in federal prison for running a fencing operation out of his suburban Chicago stores. ZIAD I. ZAYED used his store – Crestwood Electronics Inc. in Crestwood, Ill. – and other businesses to knowingly purchase stolen electronic devices and other merchandise, re-package the items, and then sell them to buyers out of state and overseas. Some of the items fenced by Zayed included laptop computers, fitness tracking devices, and digital cameras, some of which were stolen from railcars near Chicago. Zayed, 49, of Frankfort, Ill., pleaded guilty last year to a federal conspiracy charge. U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman on Wednesday sentenced Zayed to two years and four months in federal prison and ordered him to pay more than $1.3 million in restitution. The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. “By providing a marketplace to sell stolen goods, the defendant has incentivized thieves to steal and rob, whether that’s off tractor trailers sitting on railcars or phones from innocent victims,” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Barry Jonas and Ann Marie E. Ursini argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum.


title: St. Louis Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Fatal Shooting Over Drug Debt

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Monday sentenced a man who shot someone trying to collect a drug debt to 12 years in prison. Terrell Donta McDaniel agreed to sell 10 grams of fentanyl to Andre Nash on Nov. 2, 2022, for $500. But McDaniel did not give Nash the full amount of fentanyl, and Nash began looking for McDaniel to collect the debt. After learning that McDaniel was staying at a vacant house in the 4100 block of Clara Place, Nash went there and entered the house. McDaniel shot and killed Nash. McDaniel and others then wrapped Nash’s body in tarps and plastic and placed him in the trunk of a stolen car, dumping the body in the 5900 block of St. Louis Avenue that night. The body was discovered the next morning. In court Monday, McDaniel apologized to Nash’s family. He said he was afraid for his life and had been trying to dodge Nash for four to five months. McDaniel, now 42, of St. Louis, pleaded guilty in September 2023 to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of discharge of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI.


title: Long Island Drug Dealer Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison for Distributing Fentanyl that Caused the Death of a Suffolk County Man

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Tyheim Smith was sentenced by United States District Judge Gary R. Brown to 17 years in prison for distribution of fentanyl. As part of his guilty plea, Smith admitted his fentanyl caused the death of a 25-year-old Suffolk County man (the “Victim”), and that he used firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking activity. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the sentence. “This prosecution demonstrates my Office’s commitment to confronting the deadly fentanyl epidemic in this district,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Today, the defendant, a drug dealer who carried out his illicit business using illegal guns, was held accountable for distributing fentanyl that caused the tragic poisoning death of a young man on Long Island. The large quantities of fentanyl the defendant distributed all over Suffolk County had a devastating impact on the community, including by taking this young man away from his family. We will continue to work tirelessly to investigate and prosecute those who contribute to this epidemic.” Mr. Peace thanked the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, New York, and the Suffolk County Police Department, for their work on the case. In July 2021, Smith sold the Victim “blues,” pills that the Victim believed were oxycodone, when in fact, the defendant knew the pills were fentanyl. The Victim’s family found him dead in their Bay Shore residence after the Victim ingested the pills. Shortly after the Victim’s death, over the course of one month, Smith sold fentanyl pills to undercover officers on five separate occasions. In October 2021, the Suffolk County Police Department executed a search of Smith’s home and recovered 72 fentanyl pills marked as oxycodone and two loaded firearms, high-capacity magazines and ammunition. After being charged by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, Smith continued to sell fentanyl while out on bail, until his federal arrest and remand in April 2022. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Justice, in 2023, nearly 108,000 people died from drug overdoses, making it a leading cause of injury-related death in the United States. The increase in overdose deaths has been driven in large part by fentanyl, a drug that has been described as 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. In 2023, over 74,000 people died from a drug overdose involving synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, a figure that was around 2,000 less than the more than 76,000 synthetic opioid overdose deaths that occurred in 2022. Between 2022 and 2023, overall drug overdose deaths declined approximately 3% from around nearly 111,000 such deaths in 2022. The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Alessi is in charge of the prosecution. The Defendant : TYHEIM SMITH Age: 23 Central Islip, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-183 (GRB)


title: Casper man sentenced to 90 months on a federal firearm offense

body_text: Frank Ray Berris, 53, of Casper, Wyoming, was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. Berris was convicted of this crime at a jury trial in June 2024. U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on Sept. 20, in Cheyenne. According to evidence presented at trial, on Feb. 3, a Wyoming Highway Patrol (WHP) trooper conducted a traffic stop, near Casper, on a black Ford Explorer being driven by Berris. The defendant, who considers himself a “sovereign citizen,” was driving with fictitious license plates that said, “United States of America Republic Diplomat Foreign National” and “UCC1-308.” Berris was unable to provide proof of a valid driver’s license, insurance, or registration to the trooper. While talking with Berris, the trooper noticed a pistol in a holster between Berris and the console and an AR-style rifle between the console and the passenger seat. The traffic stop escalated into three-hour standoff where the defendant refused to exit his car and told officers they would have to kill him. Berris eventually surrendered and was arrested. Law enforcement executed a search warrant on Berris’s vehicle and seized a semiautomatic rifle, two semiautomatic pistols, and ammunition of various calibers. Berris was a felon and therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. At the sentencing hearing, the government showed that Berris had been uncooperative, threatened law enforcement, and possessed firearms during two previous traffic stops. “Mr. Berris has repeatedly refused to recognize that he is required to follow the law just like everyone else,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Eric Heimann. “His arrogance, threats, and unlawful possession of guns put the defendant, law enforcement officers, and the general public in harm’s way. The prison sentence in this case delivers a clear message that no one is above the law, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office will aggressively prosecute felons who unlawfully possess firearms.” Berris was indicted by a grand jury and pleaded not guilty to the charges in March 2024. Berris represented himself at trial. WHP, Natrona County Sheriff’s Office and Mills Police Department responded to the scene and special agents with Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this crime. Assistant United States Attorney Mackenzie Morrison and Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Sprecher prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN . Case No. 24-00034


title: Stockton Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm Offense

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Ricardo Sanchez, 32, of Stockton, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, on Aug. 20, 2023, law enforcement officers found Sanchez to be in possession of a Springfield Armory Hellcat 9 mm semi-automatic pistol. Sanchez is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to multiple prior felony convictions, including conspiracy to commit a crime and inflicting injury on a spouse/cohabitant or fellow parent. This case is the product of an investigation by the Sacramento Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitnee Goins is prosecuting the case. Sanchez is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 6, 2025, by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb. Sanchez faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, 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. 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 the result of the ongoing collaboration between the Sacramento Police Department and its local, state, and federal partners as part of a Public Safety Partnership (PSP) to address violent crime in our community. Started in 2022, the Sacramento PSP is a multifaceted violence-reduction strategy that relies on innovative data-driven strategies to promote public and community safety. Participating PSP partners include the Sacramento County’s District Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the DEA, the ATF, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.


title: Former FBI agent convicted for stealing from citizens’ homes

body_text: HOUSTON – A former federal agent has admitted to theft of personal property and providing false statements, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. From March 2022 to July 2023, Nicholas Anthony Williams, 37, Houston, stole money and property from multiple residences while executing search warrants in his official capacity. Specifically, the plea agreement lists several instances in which Williams stole cash totaling nearly $10,000 as well as several silver bars which he had attempted to sell to another individual. Williams proceeded to retain the money or property for his personal use. He used some of the money to purchase guns and related items. In addition, Williams admitted to providing false statements with regard to several fraudulent charges on his government-issued credit card, making it appear they were case-related expenses, when they were not. He also took some legitimate FBI-purchased property and pawned for cash. “Founded on a legacy of steadfast duty since 1908, FBI agents uphold society's trust by relentlessly pursuing justice and protecting citizens with unwavering integrity,” said Hamdani. “Nicholas Williams betrayed that legacy and the community’s trust when he decided to pad his own pockets at the expense of a citizen’s rights. Because no one is above the law, the system of justice that he once swore to protect will now seek to hold him to account for breaking that oath.” Since 2019, Williams worked as an FBI special agent in the Houston field office. He served on both the criminal violent gang and counterterrorism squads. U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen will impose sentencing Jan. 13, 2025. At that time, Williams faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. Williams was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing. The Department of Justice - Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura Garcia and Sarina DiPiazza are prosecuting the case.


title: Florida Man Convicted of Sex Trafficking Nearly a Dozen Women and Girls

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: Following a nine-day trial, a federal jury in the Southern District of Florida convicted Shannima Yuantrell Session, also known as Shalamar, 47, of Lake Placid, Florida, on 13 charges for sex trafficking nearly a dozen women and girls. Session compelled some of his victims to commit commercial sex acts between July 2011 and July 2013, and he compelled other victims to commit commercial sex acts between February 2016 and February 2019. “The defendant used despicable and horrific means to terrify and coerce nearly a dozen women and girls to engage in commercial sex,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to protecting vulnerable victims from such cruel exploitation. This prosecution reflects that commitment. It is a testament to the courageous young women who cooperated with law enforcement to expose, prosecute and hold accountable this defendant for the years of misery he inflicted on scores of women.” “Vindicating the rights of human trafficking victims and other vulnerable persons ranks among the highest priorities of our office,” said U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida. “Human trafficking is a crime of exploitation. We will not allow human traffickers to prey upon others for profit, as humans are not commodities but rather demand our united protection. Our office’s dedicated prosecutors, victim witness coordinators, and support personnel will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to combat human trafficking and bring offenders to justice.” “Today’s verdict is a step towards justice for the nearly dozen victims who were forced by Shannima Yuantrell Session into sex trafficking and endured his reign of horrendous and abusive control,” said Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI Miami Field Office. “This verdict is a testament to the cooperation and commitment of several law enforcement agencies including the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida and the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. We will continue working with these and other partners to dismantle human trafficking networks that operate in the shadows and brutalize their victims.” Evidence presented during the trial established that Session made promises of legitimate work and housing assistance to women and girls struggling with unstable living accommodations, substance abuse and neglect or who otherwise led unstable lives. Session’s promises were often false and empty, designed to provide him the opportunity to learn about a victim’s vulnerabilities while misrepresenting himself as caring and empathetic. Session then exploited the victims’ vulnerabilities to compel their commercial sex acts in squalid trailers housing migrant workers or in local orange groves. At times, Session used food and housing to control and coerce the victims. For example, he would not permit one of his victims to eat if the victim did not follow his instructions. Often, Session required his victims to engage in sexual activity with him after they had spent a night having compelled sexual intercourse with up to 18 men. Further, the evidence presented during the trial demonstrated that Session resorted to extreme physical violence to compel and intimidate certain victims. He violently punched some of the victims in the back of their heads in order not to leave marks on their bodies. Once, Session dragged a victim to a shower and beat her in the back of her head with a metal nutcracker until she fell limp to the floor. Session also choked another victim to the point that she lost consciousness, beat another victim with a baseball bat and brutalized yet another so badly that her nose ring fell out due to the force of the assault. In addition, Session took multiple victims to a nearby lake, where he held their heads underwater and threatened to drown them if they did not do as he ordered. The evidence also showed that Session used a firearm to intimidate and control his victims. He consistently kept a firearm in his possession, and frequently displayed it to victims or referred to it when talking with them. Once, Session pointed a firearm at a victim while he was driving and threatened to “kill” her after she asked him how he would feel if someone treated his daughter the way he treated her. Fearing for her life when Session stopped the car and began walking to the passenger side door, the victim jumped out of the car and ran towards nearby woods. In response, Session fired a shot into the air while he called out the victim’s name. Finally, the evidence indicated that Session manipulated and took advantage of some victims’ substance abuse problems to compel their commercial sex services. For example, Session provided victims with cocaine and methamphetamine to give them sufficient energy to engage in commercial sex acts with multiple migrant men at nearby trailers. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Dec. 19. Session faces a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison as well as mandatory restitution. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI Miami Field Office, Ft. Pierce Resident Agency, investigated the case, with assistance from the Highlands County, Florida, Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Hoover for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Leah Branch and Matthew Thiman of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case. Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org . Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking .


title: James B. Nutter & Company to Pay $2.4M for Allegedly Causing False Claims for Federal Mortgage Insurance

component: Civil Division

body_text: James B. Nutter & Company, a former mortgage lender located in Kansas City, Missouri, has agreed to pay $2.4 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act and the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act of 1989 by knowingly underwriting Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECM) insured by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s Federal Housing Administration (FHA) that did not meet program eligibility requirements. “The HECM program helps support our nation’s senior citizens by providing an additional source of funds to supplement their income,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Together with our partners at HUD, we are committed to protecting the financial integrity of this critical program and to pursuing those who seek to abuse it.” The FHA offers numerous mortgage insurance programs intended to help build and sustain strong communities across America. The HECM program is a reverse mortgage program specifically for senior homeowners aged 62 and older. The program allows seniors to access the equity in their residences, and thereby age in place in their family home, through a mortgage agreement with a lender that is insured against loss by the FHA. Lenders who participate in the FHA’s HECM program are authorized to underwrite mortgages without first having the government review the loans for compliance with the agency’s underwriting and origination requirements. If an FHA-insured loan defaults, the holder of the loan can then recover from the United States for certain losses. Lenders commit to following FHA rules to ensure that only eligible mortgages are insured by the government. The settlement announced today resolves the United States’ allegations in a lawsuit filed in 2020 that James B. Nutter & Company knowingly violated FHA underwriting requirements when it allowed inexperienced temporary staff to underwrite FHA-insured loans, and submitted loans for FHA insurance with underwriter signatures that were falsified and/or affixed before all the documentation the underwriter should have reviewed was complete. “This case sought to redress serious violations of FHA requirements that posed a risk to the HECM program,” said HUD General Counsel Damon Smith. “HUD will continue to protect the integrity of this important mortgage program that serves the interests of our nation’s senior citizens.” “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is dedicated to seeking recovery from mortgage lenders who take advantage of FHA programs and ignore essential program requirements,” said U.S. Attorney Teresa A. Moore for the Western District of Missouri. “The integrity and resources of those important programs must not be put at risk by mortgage lenders who put their own financial interests first.” “Our office continues its diligent pursuit of mortgage originators that do not play by the rules,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves for the District of Columbia. “If a lender is asking the government to insure its loans, the government expects that lender to employ qualified underwriters to ensure the loans present acceptable credit risks and are supported by sound appraisals of the homes used to secure them.” “This case and the resulting $2.4 million settlement demonstrate the HUD Office of Inspector General’s commitment to holding lenders accountable when they commit fraud against FHA mortgage programs designed to provide financial assistance to senior homeowners,” said Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis of HUD. “No one is above the law. Our office will continue to work with our partners at the Justice Department to investigate mortgage lenders who jeopardize the integrity of FHA mortgage programs.” The investigation, litigation and settlement were the result of a coordinated effort among the Commercial Litigation Branch of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Western District of Missouri and the District of Columbia, HUD and HUD’s Office of Inspector General. Trial Attorneys Christopher Reimer, Kelly Phipps, Yifan Wang and Wilma Metcalf of the Commercial Litigation Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cindi Woolery for the Western District of Missouri and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Hudak and Benton Peterson for the District of Columbia handled the matter. The litigation resolved by the settlement was captioned United States v. James B. Nutter & Co. , Case No. 4:20-cv-874-RK (WDMO). The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability. Settlement


title: Convicted Murderer Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder of Missing Navajo Woman

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Tre C. James, 31, of Pinon, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to life in prison on count one and an additional 10 years in prison on count two to run consecutively, for the murder of Jamie Yazzie, a woman classified as a Missing and Murdered Indigenous Person from the Navajo Nation. A federal jury previously found James guilty of First Degree Murder for Yazzie’s death. The jury also found James guilty of several acts of domestic violence committed against three other women, all members of the Navajo Nation. Judge Rayes sentenced James to an additional 10 years in prison to run concurrently, and five years of supervised release for each of those assaults. “Securing justice for missing victims of violence necessitates courage, discipline, and collaboration,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “It also requires all of us to demonstrate our commitment with alacrity: for communities to report their missing loved ones as soon as possible; for victim advocates to engage early and often with next of kin; and for agents and prosecutors to charge cases as soon as they are ready to be charged.” “Today’s sentence underscores the fact that Jamie Yazzie was not forgotten by the FBI or our federal and tribal partners,” said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Jose A. Perez. “Our office is committed to addressing the violence that Native American communities in Arizona face every day and we will continue our efforts to protect families, help victims and ensure that justice is served in each case we pursue.” James shot and killed Yazzie on the Navajo Nation in the summer of 2019. He hid her remains on the Hopi Reservation, where they remained concealed for almost three years. Multiple agencies worked together to investigate Yazzie’s disappearance, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety Criminal Investigation Services, Navajo Nation Police Department, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Navajo County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators faced significant challenges, including the fact that Yazzie had not been reported missing for several days, James had cleaned the crime scene, and the murder occurred while James and Yazzie were home alone together; the global pandemic, which hit the Navajo Nation particularly hard, also presented significant challenges. Investigators persevered and, during the investigation, discovered the assaults against other women, many of which had never been reported to law enforcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer E. LaGrange and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Sharon K. Sexton, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Phoenix, handled the prosecution. Ms. Yazzie’s mother, father, grandmother and other relatives provided support to the investigation and prosecution over several years. CASE NUMBER: CR-22-08073-PCT-DLR RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-126_James # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Local felon convicted of sexual exploitation of pregnant minor

body_text: LAREDO, Texas – A 30-year-old Laredo man has pleaded guilty to production of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. On April 5, law enforcement encountered Luis Andres Serna after he picked up an undocumented non-citizen from downtown Laredo and transported him to an apartment building. At that time, a 16-year-old pregnant minor was also his passenger. Later that day, authorities discovered 37 undocumented people and approximately 1,032 kilograms of marijuana within several apartments linked to Serna and others. This eventually led to his arrest for drug trafficking and conspiracy to transport and harbor undocumented individuals. While in federal custody for the pending charges, he gained access to a tablet video system and contacted the same pregnant girl. The investigation revealed Serna provided the minor’s name and a phone number to initiate video calls but did not disclose she was a minor. The facility’s communication system automatically records the displays of both parties during every video call. Law enforcement reviewed several hundred telephone calls and tablet video visits Serna initiated while detained. The investigation revealed he was in regular video communication with the minor victim. On June 24, 2022, he had her perform sexual acts while he watched. The minor victim used her personal cellphone to record herself performing the acts and played the video for Serna over the course of several days. “Protecting our children from sexual predators is one of my office’s most sacred responsibilities,” said Hamdani. “Serna is an especially reprehensible predator--a human smuggler and drug trafficker who exploited a pregnant child for his own sexual gratification adding the label “child pornographer” to his resume of crimes. This prosecution and conviction will help insure that Serna can no longer victimize Laredo’s citizens, especially its children.” Serna also later pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport over 1000 kilograms of marijuana and the human transportation conspiracy. U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña accepted the plea and will impose sentencing at a later date. At that time, Serna faces up to 30 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine for the sexual exploitation conviction as well as a maximum of 10 years and up to life, respectively, for the alien smuggling and drug trafficking charges. Serna has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, Border Patrol and other private companies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSA) Homero Ramirez and Michael Makens are prosecuting the case along with the assistance from Special AUSA Terence A. Check Jr. and former AUSA April Ayers-Perez, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page . For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.


title: Lisbon Man Faces 10-20 Years for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Lisbon man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to possessing child sexual abuse material. According to court records, in September and October 2023, the Maine State Police (MSP) identified an IP address at the residence of Joseph Gibson , 36, that had been used to download child sexual abuse material. In December 2023, the MSP executed a search warrant at the residence, seizing two devices belonging to Gibson which were found to contain child pornography. The case was referred to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), which conducted a follow-up review of the devices. HSI found five video files on Gibson’s phone depicting the sexual abuse of young children. Gibson also admitted to viewing child pornography on the internet when questioned by investigators. Because Gibson was previously convicted in state court for possessing and distributing child pornography, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, and a maximum of 20 years, in prison on the federal charge, to be followed by five years to life of supervised release. He also faces a maximum fine of $250,000. Gibson will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. HSI investigated the case with assistance from the MSP. To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal term as "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678 . If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741 . Project iGuardian online safety program available to Maine communities: The Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) program Project iGuardian is focused on keeping children and teens safe from online predators through education and awareness. The in-person educational outreach effort was created to share information about the dangers of online environments, how to stay safe online, and how to report abuse and suspicious activity. Schools, parent groups, and other community groups interested in bringing the program to their community can find more information at: https://www.dhs.gov/know2protect/training . Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc . ###


body_text: WASHINGTON – James B. Nutter & Company, a former mortgage lender located in Kansas City, Missouri, has agreed to pay $2.4 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act and the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act of 1989 by knowingly underwriting Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECM) insured by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s Federal Housing Administration (FHA) that did not meet program eligibility requirements. “The HECM program helps support our nation’s senior citizens by providing an additional source of funds to supplement their income,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Together with our partners at HUD, we are committed to protecting the financial integrity of this critical program and to pursuing those who seek to abuse it.” “Our office continues its diligent pursuit of mortgage originators that do not play by the rules,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves for the District of Columbia. “If a lender is asking the government to insure its loans, the government expects that lender to employ qualified underwriters to ensure the loans present acceptable credit risks and are supported by sound appraisals of the homes used to secure them.” The FHA offers numerous mortgage insurance programs intended to help build and sustain strong communities across America. The HECM program is a reverse mortgage program specifically for senior homeowners aged 62 and older. The program allows seniors to access the equity in their residences, and thereby age in place in their family home, through a mortgage agreement with a lender that is insured against loss by the FHA. Lenders who participate in the FHA’s HECM program are authorized to underwrite mortgages without first having the government review the loans for compliance with the agency’s underwriting and origination requirements. If an FHA-insured loan defaults, the holder of the loan can then recover from the United States for certain losses. Lenders commit to following FHA rules to ensure that only eligible mortgages are insured by the government. The settlement announced today resolves the United States’ allegations in a lawsuit filed in 2020 that James B. Nutter & Company knowingly violated FHA underwriting requirements when it allowed inexperienced temporary staff to underwrite FHA-insured loans, and submitted loans for FHA insurance with underwriter signatures that were falsified and/or affixed before all the documentation the underwriter should have reviewed was complete. “This case sought to redress serious violations of FHA requirements that posed a risk to the HECM program,” said HUD General Counsel Damon Smith. “HUD will continue to protect the integrity of this important mortgage program that serves the interests of our nation’s senior citizens.” “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is dedicated to seeking recovery from mortgage lenders who take advantage of FHA programs and ignore essential program requirements,” said U.S. Attorney Teresa A. Moore for the Western District of Missouri. “The integrity and resources of those important programs must not be put at risk by mortgage lenders who put their own financial interests first.” “This case and the resulting $2.4 million settlement demonstrate the HUD Office of Inspector General’s commitment to holding lenders accountable when they commit fraud against FHA mortgage programs designed to provide financial assistance to senior homeowners,” said Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis of HUD. “No one is above the law. Our office will continue to work with our partners at the Justice Department to investigate mortgage lenders who jeopardize the integrity of FHA mortgage programs.” The investigation, litigation and settlement were the result of a coordinated effort among the Commercial Litigation Branch of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Western District of Missouri and the District of Columbia, HUD and HUD’s Office of Inspector General. Trial Attorneys Christopher Reimer, Kelly Phipps, Yifan Wang and Wilma Metcalf of the Commercial Litigation Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cindi Woolery for the Western District of Missouri and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Hudak and Benton Peterson for the District of Columbia handled the matter. The litigation resolved by the settlement was captioned United States v. James B. Nutter & Co. , Case No. 4:20-cv-874-RK (WDMO). The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.


title: Pittsburgh Felon Pleads Guilty to Firearms and Aggravated Identity Theft Violations

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, use of an unauthorized access device, and aggravated identity theft, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Cheron Tucker, 28, pleaded guilty to three counts before Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that Tucker participated in a scheme in which, through the dark web, he obtained the names, credit card numbers, and other identification information of numerous individuals that he then used to rent vehicles from a car rental company with the assistance of a co-conspirator who managed the company’s Monroeville office. Once Tucker obtained the vehicles, he rented them to other individuals. Tucker agreed that he caused more than $550,000 of losses to the car rental company through the scheme. While investigating one of the vehicles fraudulently obtained from the company, the Brentwood Police Department conducted a search of a home associated with Tucker. The search revealed numerous documents and other evidence associated with the identity theft scheme, as well as two loaded firearms, including one with an obliterated serial number. Tucker has prior felony convictions, including a previous federal conviction for use of unauthorized access devices for which Tucker was on federal supervised release when he committed these new offenses. Federal law prohibits a convicted felon from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Judge Fischer scheduled sentencing for January 13, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than two years in prison and up to 32 years in prison, a fine of up to $750,000, or both. He also faces up to three additional years of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his supervised release. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The United States Secret Service, with assistance from the Monroeville Police Department and Brentwood Police Department, conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Tucker.


title: Fayette County Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax Return

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Fayette County, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of willfully filing a false tax return, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. James E. Frey Jr., 54, of Uniontown pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that Frey deposited checks from his businesses’ customers into his personal bank accounts instead of his businesses’ accounts, and kept for himself the proceeds of checks made payable from his companies to other individuals that were never actually sent. Frey’s personal income tax returns for years including 2019 were false in that, as Frey knew, they failed to report the income from those checks. Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for January 14, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of up to three years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gain or loss from the offense, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney William B. Guappone is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Frey.


title: Raymond Man Charged for Threatening Employees of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Manchester

body_text: CONCORD – A Raymond man was charged by complaint and arrested this morning for communicating a threat to kill or harm employees of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Health Administration (VHA), U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Paul Gangi, 45, was charged with one count of threatening to assault, kidnap or murder federal employees with intent to retaliate on account of the performance of official duties. He appeared in federal court today, September 23, 2024, and is scheduled to appear again tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. for preliminary and detention hearings. According to the charging documents, on September 5, 2024, an employee of the VHA reported to law enforcement that Gangi, a carpenter at the VA, threatened two supervisory VHA employees by stating, “If they keep harassing me, I am going to come in and pop these guys.” The charge provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison. 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 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of the Inspector General led the investigation. The Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Krasinski is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Ohio Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Terry James Cox, 40, of Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced today to two years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 30, 2023, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Cox in Huntington. Cox admitted that he possessed approximately 5.4 grams of methamphetamine in the vehicle, and that he intended to distribute it. Cox further admitted that he also possessed a loaded North American Arms .22-caliber revolver, .22-caliber ammunition, and digital scales in the vehicle. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Owen Reynolds prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-4. ###


title: Leessa Augustine, Former Sewerage & Water Board Special Agent and New Orleans Police Officer, Indicted for Multiple Fraud Schemes

body_text: NEW ORLEANS - United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that LEESSA AUGUSTINE (“AUGUSTINE”) , age 46, was indicted on September 20, 2024 for her involvement in multiple fraud schemes while employed as a Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans (“S&WB”) Senior Special Agent, a position tasked with investigating the alleged misconduct of other Sewerage & Water Board employees. In one alleged scheme, AUGUSTINE , who was also a New Orleans Police Department reserve officer, billed a police detail customer for hours not actually worked. It is alleged that during some of the times AUGUSTINE was supposed to be working the police detail for the Downtown Development District, she used her S&WB-issued computer to conduct a second fraud scheme, that involved obtaining a mortgage loan and federally funded assistance for low-income homebuyers. In that home-purchase scheme, AUGUSTINE allegedly created fake documents, including a fake W-2 form, fake pay stubs, and fake bank statements. In a third alleged scheme, AUGUSTINE obtained federally funded unemployment benefits by concealing her Senior Special Agent income. Finally, in a fourth alleged scheme, AUGUSTINE obtained federally funded emergency rental assistance from the City of New Orleans, by submitting a fake lease and a termination letter from a fictitious employer. At various times during the schemes, AUGUSTINE allegedly provided her S&WB-issued cellphone number as a contact number for three different persons she impersonated. AUGUSTINE is charged with four counts of Wire Fraud (one count per each fraud scheme). AUGUSTINE is also charged with two counts of Aggravated Identity Theft for allegedly misusing two persons’ identities. Finally, AUGUSTINE is charged with making False Statements for allegedly lying to investigators. The wire fraud charge related to the police detail is punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment. The other three wire fraud charges are each punishable by up to 30 years’ imprisonment due to enhanced penalties for fraud related to emergency benefits and fraud affecting a financial institution. Each aggravated identity theft charge is punishable by two years’ imprisonment. The false statement charge is punishable by up to five years’ imprisonment. Each count may include a fine of up to $250,000, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and the payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the defendant’s guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. U.S. Attorney Evans thanked the New Orleans Office of Inspector General and the New Orleans Police Department for their valuable assistance in this case. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Office of Inspector General - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Office of Inspector General - U.S. Department of Labor, and the Office of Inspector General – U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chandra Menon of the Public Integrity Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Rockford Man Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Prison for His Role in Retail Store Robberies

body_text: ROCKFORD — A Rockford man has been sentenced to over seven years in federal prison for conspiring to commit robberies of electronic stores. KATRAIL BRIDGES, 32, was convicted after a four-day jury trial in March of conspiracy to commit robbery. U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston on Thursday sentenced Bridges to 87 months in federal prison. Bridges joined the conspiracy and agreed to participate in the robberies of electronic stores at two locations: a Best Buy store in DeKalb, Ill. on Dec. 2, 2016, and a Simply Mac store in Cherry Valley, Ill. on December 16, 2016. During these robberies, the members of the group used pepper-spray against employees to gain compliance and to escape with merchandise. The group stole over $22,000 worth of merchandise during these two robberies. Eight other alleged conspirators were charged as part of the federal investigation. The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the FBI. The Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office, Cherry Valley Police Department, and DeKalb Police Department assisted in the investigation. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ladd and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirstin J. Krivanec.


title: Thibodaux Man Sentenced to 60 Months Imprisonment for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that SIMON PAUL ADAMS (“ADAMS”) , age 28, a resident of Thibodaux, La., was sentenced on September 18, 2024, to 60 months imprisonment by United States District Judge Lance M. Africk after ADAMS had previously pled guilty to possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(4)(B). Judge Africk also ordered ADAMS to serve 10 years of supervised release after his release from prison, to comply with sex offender registration requirements, to pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee, and to pay $18,000 in restitution to the victims. According to court documents, on multiple dates, including, on or about October 15, 2022, December 14, 2022, and January 19, 2023, Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) agents investigated the sharing of digital files depicting the sexual exploitation of children via a peer-to-peer file sharing network. Agents downloaded a series of files and videos depicting, among other things, the sexual exploitation of juvenile females, from an IP address connected to ADAMS’s residence in Thibodaux. Agents executed a search warrant at ADAMS’s residence in July 2023 and seized electronic devices, containing files (i.e., obscene images and videos) depicting the sexual victimization and abuse of children. An analysis of the devices revealed approximately 5 images and 70 videos depicting the sexual victimization of children and over 30 images and 1,500 videos depicting obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children. Some of the depictions included children, less than three years old, being victimized, as well as, depictions portraying sadism, masochism, or violence, generally. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, was in charge of the prosecution.


title: Petersburg man pleads guilty to armed robbery of two businesses while wearing an ankle monitor

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A Petersburg man pled guilty to three counts relating to two armed robberies in Petersburg within one week. According to court documents, on July 11, 2023, Demario Fisher, 36, entered a Metro PCS store in Petersburg wearing a bright work vest and an ankle monitor. He examined the store and left, but returned about a half-hour later. He approached the store employee, escorted her to the cash register at gunpoint, and stole cash from the register. Fisher then fled from the store in a blue SUV registered to his girlfriend. On July 17, 2023, Fisher entered the Miller Mart BP store in Hopewell wearing a t-shirt with a teddy bear image and, again, an ankle monitor. Fisher made a purchase and left. He later re-entered the store, this time wearing a bright work vest over the teddy bear t-shirt. Fisher approached the store employee at the counter armed with a firearm and demanded money from the cash register. After taking the money, Fisher again fled from the store in the blue SUV. Fisher also admitted to robbing a BP Gas Station in Petersburg on July 12, 2023. In that robbery, Fisher, armed with a firearm and wearing a safety vest, entered, brandished the firearm toward the store clerk and demanded that the clerk “empty the register.” The store clerk complied and Fisher fled the store on foot. Fisher pled guilty to one count of Hobbs Act Robbery and two counts of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 11, 2025. For the Hobbs Act Robbery, Fisher faces up to 20 years in prison. For each count of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, Fisher faces a mandatory minimum of seven years and a maximum term of life in prison to be served consecutively to any other term of imprisonment. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen E. Anthony is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-45.