title: Former Board Chair of Connecticut Energy Cooperative Sentenced to Prison for Misusing Funds

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney, for the District of Connecticut, announced that JAMES SULLIVAN, 56, former chairperson of the Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Corporation (“CMEEC”) Board of Directors, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to six months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for misusing CMEEC funds. CMEEC is a cooperative public corporation that permits municipal electric utilities in Connecticut to join together to furnish electric power in the municipalities’ areas of operation. CMEEC’s members included the City of Norwich, the City of Groton, the Borough of Jewett City, the Second Taxing District of the City of Norwalk, the Third Taxing District of the City of Norwalk, and the Town of Bozrah. As the owners of CMEEC, each member town executed an agreement through its respective municipal electric utility outlining the terms and conditions under which the CMEEC members participated together in CMEEC. The CMEEC membership agreement provides that excess revenues are designated as “CMEEC Margin,” and that the excess revenues are to be returned to the member towns to help keep electricity costs stable for ratepayers. Between 2010 and 2015, CMEEC received more than $9 million dollars from the U.S. Department of Energy. CMEEC member towns also received funds from federal grants. According to the evidence and testimony presented during a trial in 2021, Drew Rankin, who was the former chief executive officer of CMEEC, Sullivan, and other members of the CMEEC Board of Directors, planned, organized, and directed lavish trips outside of Connecticut, including trips to the Kentucky Derby in 2015 and 2016, and to a luxury golf resort in West Virginia in 2015. These trips did not relate to CMEEC business, but were intended to personally benefit, compensate and reward Rankin, Sullivan, CMEEC Board members, their family members, friends, and associates. Costs for the trips, which totaled more than $800,000, included travel expenses, private chartered airfare, first-class hotel accommodations, meals, tickets to sporting events, golf fees, souvenirs and gifts. For the Kentucky Derby trip in 2015, which had an average cost of approximately $9,000 per guest, Sullivan brought his son, his brother, his sister-in-law, a young woman he knew through her work as a bartender, and the woman’s friend. In August 2015, Rankin, Sullivan, and two other CMEEC Board members traveled, at CMEEC expense and a cost of more than $21,000, to the Greenbrier golf resort in West Virginia. When Rankin initially proposed the trip to Sullivan, Sullivan responded, “Is your name ‘I deserve a raise?’” In response to reporter inquiries about the Kentucky Derby and golf trips, Rankin underreported the costs of the trips, omitted the names of attendees who were not CMEEC employees or board members, and made other false statements related to how the trips were funded. After the trips were known to the general public, CMEEC canceled a reservation it had made for the 2017 Kentucky Derby, and was refunded only approximately $90,000 of the $298,960 it had prepaid for the trip in May 2016. On December 10, 2021, a jury found Rankin; Sullivan, and John Bilda, the former City of Norwich representative on the CMEEC Board of Directors, guilty of one count of theft concerning a program receiving federal funds. On May 16, 2023, Judge Meyer sentenced Rankin to 12 months of imprisonment. Bilda is scheduled to be sentenced tomorrow. Restitution will be determined after additional court proceedings. Sullivan is required to report to prison on July 12. This matter has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division; with the assistance of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Department of Energy. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah P. Karwan, Michael S. McGarry and Tara E. Levens.


title: Texan admits to firearms offense linked to Matamoros murder of U.S. citizens

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 42-year-old Harlingen resident has pleaded guilty to smuggling a firearm linked to the March 3 incident involving the murder and kidnapping of U.S. Citizens in Matamoras, Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Roberto Lugardo Moreno Jr. pleaded guilty today to aiding the smuggling of a firearm into Mexico knowing it was intended for members of the Gulf Cartel. Law enforcement learned from Mexican authorities that a pistol Moreno purchased Oct. 17, 2019, was linked to the March 3 incident. The investigation revealed Moreno had obtained the firearm at a pawn shop in Brownsville. Moreno admitted to purchasing the firearm on behalf of another person he knew was going to provide it to a Gulf Cartel figure in Mexico. “All too often, firearms are trafficked into Mexico where they end up in the hands of criminals who use them to murder, rob and extort innocent people,” said Hamdani. “Moreno helped smuggle a firearm for criminals he knew were in the Gulf Cartel who then allegedly used it to murder and kidnap American citizens. This case is a textbook example of the dangers involved when criminals transport weapons into Mexico.” U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera will impose sentencing Aug. 9. At that time, Moreno faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing. Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of the FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage . Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edgardo J. Rodriguez, Karen Betancourt, Israel Cano and Alejandra Andrade are prosecuting the case.


title: Wallingford Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Child Exploitation Offense

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JASON GORISS, 49, last residing in Wallingford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 144 months of imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for possessing images and videos of child sex abuse. According to court documents and statements made in court, in November and December 2018, Goriss possessed four images and five videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The images and videos included depictions of prepubescent children, and at least one image of bondage. Goriss shared some of the images and videos on an internet-based blog. On February 8, 2023, Goriss pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography. Goriss previously was convicted in state court of having illegal sexual contact with a minor, and was sentenced to eight years of incarceration, with three years to serve, and 15 years of probation for that offense. He has been incarcerated in state custody since March 9, 2021, for violating his probation, and also has other charges for sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor pending in state court. The federal penalties were enhanced based on Goriss’s prior conviction. This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Wallingford Police Department, with the assistance of the Office of Adult Probation. The case was prosecuted by Nancy V. Gifford with cooperation from the New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office . This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com .


title: State Representative Pleads Guilty to Willfully Making  False Statements on a Federal Income Tax Return

component: USAO - Mississippi, Southern

body_text: Jackson, Miss. – A Mississippi State Representative pled guilty to willfully making a false material statement on a federal income tax return, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge James Dorsey of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Atlanta Field Office. Earle S. Banks, Sr., 68, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court in Jackson. According to admissions by Banks, he failed to report more than $500,000 of income resulting from the sale of real property. Banks admitted that he was aware of his legal duty to report that income, and instead willfully failed to report that income to the IRS on a 2018 Form 1040X tax return. Banks also admitted that the United States Attorney’s Office has sufficient evidence to convict him at trial if he had decided to go to trial instead of pleading guilty. It is against federal law to intentionally file false income tax returns which deliberately report less income than a person actually received. Banks is scheduled to be sentenced on August 21, 2023 and faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The IRS is investigating the case.


title: Indiana Man Charged in Federal Court in Chicago With Unlawfully Transferring Handgun to Illinois Resident

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

body_text: CHICAGO — An Indiana man has been charged with a federal firearm offense for allegedly unlawfully transferring a handgun to an Illinois resident. COREY GRAY, 21, of LaPorte, Ind., is charged with one count of knowingly transferring a firearm to an individual who was neither a licensed dealer nor a resident of the same state as Gray. A criminal complaint unsealed today in federal court in Chicago accuses Gray of transferring the firearm to the Illinois resident in the fall or winter of 2021. At the time of the transfer, Gray knew that the purchaser was neither a licensed firearms dealer nor a resident of Indiana, the complaint states. The Illinois resident to whom Gray transferred the gun died last month, the complaint states. Last week, the gun was discovered by law enforcement in the possession of an individual in Chicago at the time of that individual’s arrest in connection with the murder of a police officer, the complaint states. Gray was arrested this morning. He made an initial appearance in federal court this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Beth W. Jantz, who ordered Gray to remain held in federal custody pending a detention hearing on May 22, 2023, at 11:45 a.m. The charge and arrest were 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 and Explosives, and Fred Waller, Interim Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Schied represents the government. The public is reminded that the complaint contains only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The charge in the complaint is punishable by up to five years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.


title: Billings man admits to possessing child pornography on cellphone in undercover operation

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: BILLINGS — A Billings man today admitted to a child pornography crime after he and another individual were arrested in an undercover investigation when they arrived at a park to meet a fictitious teenage boy, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Jeffrey Mayes Wilkerson, 39, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography. Wilkerson faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to a lifetime of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. If the court accepts the plea agreement reached in the case, Wilkerson will serve no less than 51 months of imprisonment. The court set sentencing for Sept. 14. Wilkerson was released pending further proceedings. In court documents, the government alleged that on July 14, 2022, law enforcement conducted an undercover investigation in Billings in which investigators assumed the identity of a 13-year-old boy on a social media site. The undercover profile was contacted the same day by co-defendant, Kyle Ray Schwindt. Communications between the undercover and Schwindt were later connected to Wilkerson. The communications led to setting up a meeting in a park on July 15, 2022. Law enforcement arrested Schwindt and Wilkerson when they arrived at the park. Investigators served a search warrant on Wilkerson’s cellphone and found multiple videos of child pornography and a text exchange with Schwindt relating to the fictitious 13-year-old. The videos contained images of prepubescent children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Schwindt was sentenced to five years and 11 months in prison for his conviction in the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zeno B. Baucus and Bryan T. Dake are prosecuting the case. The FBI and Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. This case was initiated under the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative, which was launched in 2006 to combat the proliferation of technology-facilitated crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children. Through a network of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and advocacy organizations, Project Safe Childhood attempts to protect children by investigating and prosecuting offenders involved in child sexual exploitation. It is implemented through partnerships including the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The ICAC Task Force Program was created to assist state and local law enforcement agencies by enhancing their investigative response to technology facilitated crimes against children. XXX


title: Bloods Gang Member Convicted Of Witness Tampering

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today’s conviction in federal court of SIR MURRAY for witness tampering and conspiracy to commit witness tampering. MURRAY threatened, intimidated, and offered bribes to a sex trafficking victim for the purpose of inducing her to recant testimony she gave in a prior trial against a sex trafficker. The jury convicted MURRAY today following a three-day trial before U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Sir Murray’s conviction sends a clear message to the public that efforts to corrupt the criminal justice system will not be tolerated. Those who threaten, intimidate, or try to bribe witnesses will be held accountable, and those who engage in such efforts should be on notice that they will be brought to justice.” According to the Indictment, documents filed previously in the case, and the evidence admitted at trial: In fall 2021, MURRAY agreed with Justin Rivera, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking following a trial in the Southern District of New York in June 2021, to tamper with a victim (“Victim-1”) who testified at Rivera’s trial. MURRAY offered Victim-1 bribes, intimidated her, and threatened her for the purpose of persuading her to recant her testimony. In executing the plan, MURRAY directly contacted Rivera, who was in custody, exclusively through a contraband cellphone that Rivera maintained where he was in custody. MURRAY and Rivera are both members of the Bloods street gang, and in his communications with Victim-1, MURRAY offered Victim-1 payment from “every Blood in [Long Island]” in exchange for Victim-1 recanting her testimony. MURRAY also sent Victim-1 multiple written messages containing veiled threats stating that MURRAY had done an “investigation” of Victim-1, knew where she lived, and knew that Victim-1 had a “beautiful son.” MURRAY’s co-conspirator, Rivera, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking following a trial in June 2021 before U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer. In October 2022, Judge Engelmayer sentenced Rivera to a prison term of 21 years. Having considered much of the same evidence presented to the jury at MURRAY’s trial, Judge Engelmayer stated at Rivera’s sentencing that “the facts . . . set out a blatant instance of post-trial witness tampering” that “was transparently aimed at subverting a justly returned conviction.” * * * MURRAY, 31, of Suffolk County, New York, was convicted of one count of witness tampering in connection with a criminal case and one count of conspiring to do the same. The maximum sentence on both counts is life in prison. The maximum sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge. MURRAY is scheduled to be sentenced on September 18, 2023. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the Suffolk County Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas S. Burnett, Lisa Daniels, and Daniel H. Wolf are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Maria Gatica.


title: Artist who falsely claimed Native American heritage sentenced for violations of the Indian Arts and Crafts Act

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 67-year-old Western Washington artist was sentenced today to 18 months of federal probation for violations of the Indian Arts and Crafts Act (IACA) by representing himself as a Native American artist, when he had no tribal enrollment or heritage, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Jerry Chris Van Dyke aka Jerry Witten, of Seattle, pleaded guilty in March 2023. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Tana Lin noted that this was not a one-time error, but a ten-year period of “undermining a community and identity.” “Prosecuting cases of fraud in the art world is a unique responsibility and part of our work to support Tribal Nations,” said U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. “I hope this case will make artists and gallery owners think twice about the consequences of falsely calling an artist Native and work Native-produced. They should consider the damage to reputation, the legal fees, and ultimately a criminal record. Fake Native art should be kept out of the marketplace because it harms the legitimate Native art community.” The investigation of Jerry Van Dyke began in February 2019, when the Indian Arts and Crafts Board received a complaint that Van Dyke was representing himself as a Nez Perce Indian artist, when in fact, he is not an enrolled tribal member. Investigators from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service made undercover purchases at a gallery in the Pike Place Market area of Seattle that advertised pendants Van Dyke had made as Native American art. Van Dyke used the name Witten for these sales. When interviewed by agents, Van Dyke admitted knowing about the Indian Arts and Crafts Act, and admitted he was not a tribal member. Through the gallery Van Dyke had sold more than $1,000 worth of carved pendants represented as Native American artwork based on Aleut masks. According to the plea agreement, Van Dyke had worked with the gallery for more than ten years, with the gallery owner providing him with woolly mammoth ivory, antlers, animal bones and fossilized walrus ivory to make the pendants that it sold. Speaking in court today, Shannon F. Wheeler, Chair of the Nez Perce, said “artwork is full of our culture… it is a piece of who we are.” Chair Wheeler continued that the sale of fake Native art “continues a process of devaluing us as a people.” Native art “speaks of the enduring relationship that we have with our landscape,” said Nez Perce Cultural Resource Director Nakia Williamson. “All we have left is our identity, and that is under attack.” “Jerry Van Dyke’s false tribal affiliation and marketplace saturation erodes the sustainability and economic well-being of Native American artists," said Edward Grace, Assistant Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement. "Our dedicated team of special agents works on behalf of the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Indian Arts and Crafts Board to protect American Indian and Alaska Native artists and the consumers who purchase authentic Native American art and craftwork. This sentencing is important in the ongoing effort to end violations of the Indian Arts and Crafts Act. We want to thank our partners at the U.S. Department of Justice and the Indian Arts and Crafts Board for their assistance with this investigation.” "By statute, the Indian Arts and Crafts Board (IACB) is responsible for the Indian Arts and Crafts Act, a truth-in-marketing law governing the sale of Indian art and craftwork. The prosecution of Jerry Van Dyke under the Indian Arts and Crafts Act for counterfeiting Alaska Native art is another critically important step in protecting the economic livelihoods and rich cultural heritage of contemporary and traditional Indian artists, as well as preserving the vitality of the Indian art market in the Northwest and nationwide,” stated IACB Director Meridith Stanton. “When individuals and businesses market art misrepresented as Indian made, they undercut Indian artists and Indian economies, and prey upon unwitting consumers. For those selling counterfeit Indian art and craftwork, wherever you are we will diligently work to find you and prosecute you under the Act.” Van Dyke pleaded guilty in March 2023 to Misrepresentation of Indian Produced Goods and Products. The crime is punishable by up to one year in prison. The case was investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney and Tribal Liaison J. Tate London.


title: St. Louis County Felon Caught with Guns Sentenced to 57 Months

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Wednesday sentenced a St. Louis County, Missouri felon caught with two guns to 57 months in prison. Travis L. Robinson, 26, also agreed to forfeit an AR-15-style pistol and a .40 caliber Glock handgun. Both guns were found after Normandy police were called to an apartment building in the 4300 block of Walker Lane for a burglary in progress. A resident reported hearing kicking and prying noises. Robinson and another man fled when police arrived. Robinson jumped out of a third-floor window, injuring himself. Officers found tools and tool marks on one of the apartment door locks. They found an Anderson Manufacturing AM-15 pistol with a 30-round magazine, the Glock and a 50-round drum magazine for the Glock in the burglars’ car. Robinson’s DNA was on both firearms. Robinson pleaded guilty in February to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Robinson was on supervised release at the time of the crime, having been sentenced in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in 2018 to 46 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He also has committed a series of prior tampering and burglary offenses, a sentencing memo says. The case was investigated by the Normandy Police Department and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul D’Agrosa prosecuted the case.


title: Wallingford Attorney Sentenced to Prison for Tax Evasion

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MARK CARBUTTI, 48, of Wallingford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 15 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for tax evasion. According to court documents and statements made in court, Carbutti is an attorney specializing in personal injury law. For the 2013 through 2017 tax years, Carbutti reported approximately $585,025 in income taxes owed to the Internal Revenue Service as a result of his legal practice and certain rental income. During that time period and thereafter, Carbutti made only limited payments of his taxes due and owing, and interest and penalties accrued as a result of his non-payment. Between December 2014 and May 2019, Carbutti received at least 12 notices from the IRS advising him of his tax amounts due and instructions on how to pay his overdue taxes. When the IRS levied certain personal bank accounts used by Carbutti, he closed those accounts and evaded the payment of taxes, interest, and penalties by writing checks from his law firm’s operating account payable to his paralegal, which subsequently were converted to cash and deposited into the bank accounts of limited liability companies (“LLCs”) that Carbutti had created in association with his real estate holdings. Carbutti also took substantial additional cash withdrawals from his law firm bank accounts and redeposited the monies in the LLCs bank accounts. Between approximately 2013 and 2019, Carbutti paid approximately $600,000 in personal expenses from the LLCs bank accounts, including expenditures for gambling at casinos, restaurants, vacations, and the purchase of a BMW automobile. Judge Nagala ordered Carbutti to pay $750,180 in back taxes, interest and penalties. On December 1, 2022, Carbutti pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion. Carbutti is required to report to prison on July 17. This investigation was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.


title: Former NYSP Sergeant Pleads Guilty To Tipping Off Target Of Gambling Investigation

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: ROCHESTER, NY--U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Thomas J. Loewke, 51, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer to obstruction of a state or local law enforcement investigation, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who is handling the case, stated that in October 2020, the New York State Police, together with other local and federal law enforcement agencies, began an investigation into the illegal gambling activities of Louis P. Ferrari II and others. Loewke, who was aware that Ferrari owned an illegal bookmaking operation, learned of the investigation on December 17, 2021. On December 27, 2021, Loewke disclosed the existence of the investigation to Ferrari. On January 2, 2021, Ferrari used this information to attempt to obstruct the investigation by changing the password of his sports betting website, changing the appearance of the sports betting website, and deleting the history of bets placed through his sports betting website. Charges of conspiracy, transmission of wagering information, operation of an illegal gambling business, and money laundering, remain pending against Ferrari. The plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino, the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Thomas Fattorusso, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Brian Ratajczak, the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Wood, and Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith. Additional assistance was provided by the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office. Sentencing is scheduled for September 6, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. before Judge Larimer. # # # #


title: Rochester Man Pleads Guilty To Wire Fraud For Falsifying Documents Submitted To The Army

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Reginald Cannon, 55, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer to wire fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard A. Resnick and Kyle P. Rossi, who are handling the case, stated that Cannon is president of Burnett Process, Inc., a Rochester based company, which, in May 2015, received a five-year contract from the United States Army to produce M98 Gas Particulate Filters. These filters are used by the Department of Defense in a wide range of military systems, such as shelters, mobile hospitals, and US Navy ships, to protect military personnel from chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosives threats. As fresh air is coming into a system, the filters push out potentially toxic substances. If the filters are not functioning properly, contaminants can get in, putting military personnel at risk. The contract, which was signed by Cannon, required that Burnett Process submit a report certifying that the supplier of the filter paper used to manufacture the M98 Filters complied with the material specifications listed in the contract. The contract also required that Burnett Process use one of two companies located in the United States whose filter paper met strict military specifications for such filter paper, or another company if such filter paper was properly tested, passed all the military specifications included in the contract, and was approved by the Army. In September and October 2019, the Army ordered 3,650 M98 Filters at a cost of $315,944. When manufacturing these filters, Burnett Process used much cheaper filter paper from a company located in China that had not been properly tested, had not met the material specifications set forth in the contract, and had not been approved by the Army. By using the untested and unapproved cheaper filter paper, Burnett Process’ total cost to manufacture the filters was less than it should have been, which resulted in more profits for Burnett Process. Despite knowing that the proper filter paper was not used, Gannon still certified to the Army that the filter paper used was from one of the two approved filter paper suppliers in the United States. “Manufacturers doing business with the United States Military must be held accountable to uphold the standards and terms of the contracts they sign,” stated U.S. Attorney Ross. “Using components or parts that are not government approved, could result in harm to the members of our military. Partnering with our investigative agencies, we will prosecute all businesses that attempt to deceive the government by decreasing production costs to increase their profits.” “There must be consequences for companies and individuals who not only defraud the U.S. government and taxpayers, but potentially put our warfighters at risk,” said Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent-in-Charge of Homeland Security Investigations Buffalo. “HSI will continue to leverage its unique investigative authorities to further these investigations along with our partners within the Department of Defense and Department of Justice.” “Protecting the integrity of the Department of Defense procurement process and supply chain is a priority for the DoD Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS),” stated Special Agent-in-Charge Patrick J. Hegarty, DCIS Northeast Field Office. “We will continue to work with the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners to hold individuals and companies accountable for providing substandard, substituted products to the U.S. military.” “We are very pleased with today's announcement,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Scott Moreland of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s Major Procurement Fraud Field Office. “This is a true testament to our continued commitment to work closely and seamlessly with our outstanding fellow law enforcement agencies to bring those to justice who attempt to defraud the U.S. Government and U.S. Army.” The plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino, the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General’s, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, under the direction Special Agent-in-Charge Patrick J. Hegarty, Northeast Field Office, and the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division Command, Major Procurement Fraud Unit, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Scott Moreland. Sentencing is scheduled for August 30, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. before Judge Larimer. # # # #


title: Former company Chief Financial Officer indicted for using $35 million in company cash to invest in cryptocurrency venture

body_text: Seattle – A Mercer Island, Washington resident who previously served as a start-up company Chief Financial Officer (CFO) was indicted today in U.S. District Court in Seattle for wire fraud for taking and misusing some $35 million from his employer, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Nevin Shetty, 39, is scheduled for arraignment on the indictment on May 25, 2023. According to the indictment, Shetty was hired as the CFO of a private company in March 2021. The company was raising capital for its work in multiple rounds of funding. The company, with Shetty, was working on policies as to how the money raised should be conservatively invested while the company worked to grow its business. The company adopted an investment policy statement that called for company cash to be invested only in fixed income instruments payable in U.S. dollars. Only certain types of conservative investments were approved. Despite the fact that Shetty helped draft the policy and disseminate it, he moved $35 million in company funds to a cryptocurrency platform he controlled as a side business. Shetty created that side business, called HighTower Treasury, in or around February 2022. In March 2022, he was told he could not continue as CFO at his employer due to concerns about his performance. Shortly after he got this news, Shetty secretly transferred the funds out of the company’s account. Between April 1 and 12, 2022, Shetty transferred $35,000,100 of his employer’s money to an account for HighTower. No one else at the company knew of these transfers. The money was supposed to be invested by HighTower in a realm of cryptocurrency sometimes referred to as decentralized finance or “DeFi.” HighTower would pay Shetty’s company 6% interest and keep the remainder of any interest earned, which could have been substantial. As an owner of HighTower, Shetty stood to keep those profits. Shetty kept this investment in cryptocurrency secret from the board and other employees at the company where he worked. However, the cryptocurrency investments soon began declining and by May 13, 2022, the value of the $35 million investment was nearly zero. The company reported the embezzlement to the FBI who launched an investigation. Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Philip Kopczynski. shetty_indictment.pdf


title: Orange County, NY, Man Pleads Guilty To Threatening A State Official And A Federal Judge

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Daniel DeGroat, 30, of Middletown, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. mailing threatening communications to a United States judge. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Franz M. Wright and Jonathan P. Cantil, who are handling the case, stated that in November 2020, DeGroat was incarcerated at Wende Correctional Facility in Alden, NY. On November 3, 2020, he mailed an envelope from the correctional facility addressed to Victim 1, a United States Judge, which contained a letter threatening to injure Victim 1 and her spouse. DeGroat stated that he hoped to infect Victim 1 with the Coronavirus and terrorize her, and he hoped Victim 1 and her husband died after being infected by the Coronavirus. Also, on November 3, 2020, DeGroat mailed an envelope to Victim 2, a New York State Department of Corrections Official. That letter included threats to injure Victim 2, as well as Victim 2’s spouse. In July 2021, the FBI positively identified DeGroat’s DNA on both letters. The plea is the result of an investigation by the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, under the direction of Acting Commissioner Anthony J. Annucci; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia; and the U.S. Marshals Service, under the direction of Marshal Charles Salina. Sentencing is scheduled for September 15, 2023, before Judge Sinatra. # # # #


title: Passenger admits meth trafficking, gun crimes after attempted traffic stop led to shooting of Great Falls police officer

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A woman passenger today admitted to methamphetamine trafficking and firearm crimes after the driver allegedly shot and wounded a Great Falls police officer during an attempted traffic stop in March, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Nikki Marie Snell, 38, of Harlem, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute meth and to prohibited person in possession of a firearm as charged in a superseding information. Snell faces a mandatory minimum of five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release on the drug crime and a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on the firearm crime. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Oct. 19. Snell was detained pending further proceedings. In court documents, the government alleged that in July 2022, the Russell Country Drug Task Force in Great Falls learned that Snell was trafficking meth in the community and either supplied other distributors or distributed it herself. In August 2022, agents twice obtained meth from Snell through another individual. The government further alleged that on March 7, Great Falls police officers attempted a traffic stop of a car from Billings, but the car fled. Officers did not pursue but looked in the area for the vehicle and its occupants. Officers found the car and saw a man, later identified as the driver, and Snell, the passenger, walking away from it. Snell stopped and complied with the officers, while the driver ran away while carrying a brown purse. An officer chased the driver, who shot the officer numerous times, wounding him. During the pursuit and shooting, the driver dropped the purse. Officers recovered the purse and found a 9mm semi-automatic handgun inside. The handgun was a different firearm from the one used in the shooting. Snell admitted that the recovered purse was hers and that she knew it contained the handgun. Snell has a prior federal felony conviction for assault and was prohibited from possessing firearms. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica A. Betley is prosecuting the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and Great Falls Police Department conducted the investigation. 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. XXX


title: North Dakota man sentenced to prison for armed fentanyl trafficking in Great Falls area

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A North Dakota man who admitted to trafficking fentanyl in the Great Falls community after law enforcement found hundreds of fentanyl pills and a loaded firearm in a vehicle he was driving, was sentenced today to five years and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Kelly Sterling Wait, 45, of Williston, North Dakota, pleaded guilty in January to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The government alleged in court documents that in October 2022, Russell Country Drug Task Force agents surveilling a motel room in Great Falls observed Wait and an associate leave the room, get into a vehicle and drive a short distance. Law enforcement officers stopped the vehicle, which Wait was driving. Wait had a loaded 9mm pistol in his immediate possession, 186 fentanyl pills and more than $3,000 in cash. Officers found additional fentanyl pills in the trunk and passenger seat area. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan R. Plaut prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Russell Country Drug Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Montana Highway Patrol and Great Falls Police Department. XXX


title: Justice Department Files Proposed Amended Complaint and Consent Decree with Fourth Poultry Processor, Further Addressing Long-Running Conspiracy to Suppress Workers’ Compensation

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: The Department of Justice filed a proposed amended complaint and consent decree today in the District of Maryland with George’s Inc. and George’s Foods LLC (George’s) that would resolve claims that George’s conspired with other poultry processors for years to suppress workers’ wages by exchanging compensation information. George’s provided significant and voluntary cooperation to the Justice Department's investigation. The department previously reached proposed consent decrees in this matter with poultry processors Cargill, Sanderson Farms, and Wayne Farms, as well as with a data consultant, Webber, Meng, Sahl and Company, and its president, G. Jonathan Meng. “Today’s action is another important milestone in the Justice Department’s efforts to hold poultry processors accountable for antitrust violations that harm workers,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The antitrust laws protect American workers from information exchanges, like these, that damage competition and the competitive process.” Under the terms of the proposed settlement, George’s must cease sharing competitively sensitive information about poultry processing plant workers’ compensation. If approved by the court, the proposed settlement also: Imposes a court-appointed compliance monitor who, for the next seven years, will ensure George’s compliance with the terms of the proposed decree; Grants the court-appointed monitor authority to ensure George’s compliance with all federal antitrust laws as they relate to its poultry processing facilities, workers at its poultry processing plants, chicken growers, integrated poultry feed, hatcheries, transportation of poultry and poultry products, and the sale of poultry, and to submit regular reports on George’s antitrust compliance; Prohibits George’s from retaliating against any employee or third party for disclosing information to the monitor or to government authorities; Permits the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division to inspect George’s facilities and interview employees to ensure George’s compliance with the consent decree; and Commits George’s to pay $5.8 million in restitution for poultry processing plant workers who were harmed by the conspiracy. These terms would expire seven years after the consent decree is approved by the court. As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed consent decree, along with the competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register. Any person may submit written comments concerning the proposed consent decree during a 60-day comment period to Chief, Civil Conduct Task Force, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 450 Fifth Street NW, Suite 8600, Washington, D.C. 20530. At the conclusion of the 60-day comment period, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland may enter the final judgment upon finding it is in the public interest. Today’s actions are part of a broader investigation into anticompetitive labor market abuses in the poultry processing industry. Anyone with information about poultry industry collusion, competitors sharing non-public compensation information, anticompetitive conduct violations against workers, or any other violations of the antitrust laws is encouraged to contact the Antitrust Division’s Citizen Complaint Center at 1-888-647-3258 or antitrust.complaints@usdoj.gov . The division will forward complaints about the settling processor defendants to the court-appointed antitrust monitor, where appropriate. Information about anticompetitive practices in livestock and poultry markets can also be submitted to the USDA and Justice Department's Agricultural Markets Enforcement Partnership at www.farmerfairness.gov . The Justice Department thanks the U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General for its assistance with this investigation.


title: Justice Department and EPA Announce Settlement to Reduce Hazardous Air Emissions at BP Products’ Whiting Refinery in Indiana

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: Today, the Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a Clean Air Act Settlement with BP Products North America Inc., (BPP), a subsidiary of BP p.l.c., requiring control technology expected to reduce benzene by an estimated seven tons per year, other hazardous air pollutants (HAP) by 28 tons per year and other volatile organic compound emissions (VOC) by 372 tons per year at its Whiting Refinery in Indiana. The United States’ complaint, filed simultaneously with the settlement, alleges that BPP violated federal regulations limiting benzene in refinery wastewater streams, and HAP and VOC emissions at its Whiting Refinery, as well as the general requirement to use good air pollution control practices. As part of the settlement, BPP will install one or more permanent benzene strippers to reduce benzene in wastewater streams leading to its lakefront wastewater treatment plant. “This settlement sends an important message to the refining industry that the United States will take decisive action against illegal benzene and VOC emissions,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Under the settlement, the refinery will implement controls that will greatly improve air quality and reduce health impacts on the overburdened communities that surround the facility.” “This settlement will result in the reduction of hundreds of tons of harmful air pollution a year, which means cleaner, healthier air for local communities, including communities with environmental justice concerns,” said Acting Assistant Administrator Larry Starfield of the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “This is one of several recent settlements that show that EPA and the Department of Justice are committed to improving air quality in local communities by holding industrial sources accountable for violations of emission standards under the Clean Air Act.” “This settlement advances my office’s environmental justice initiative by providing cleaner air and reducing the negative health impacts on the low income and minority residents who live near BPP’s refinery,” said U.S. Attorney Clifford D. Johnson for the Northern District of Indiana. “My office is committed to continuing to enforce the nation’s environmental laws so that all residents of Northern Indiana can live, work and play in a cleaner, healthier environment.” In addition to securing injunctive relief, including capital investments, estimated to exceed $197 million, the settlement obligates BPP to pay a total financial penalty of $40 million, comprised of civil penalties and stipulated penalties for violations of an earlier settlement. This is the largest civil penalty ever secured for a Clean Air Act stationary source settlement. BPP separately agreed to undertake a $5 million supplemental environmental project to reduce diesel emissions in the communities surrounding the Whiting Refinery. BPP will also install 10 air pollutant monitoring stations to monitor air quality outside of the refinery fence line. The settlement terms are included in a proposed consent decree filed with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana. Benzene is known to cause cancer in humans. Short-term inhalation exposure to benzene also may cause drowsiness, dizziness, headaches, as well as eye, skin and respiratory tract irritation, and, at high levels, unconsciousness. Long-term inhalation exposure can cause various disorders in the blood, including reduced numbers of red blood cells and anemia in occupational settings. Reproductive effects have been reported for women exposed by inhalation to high levels, and adverse effects on the developing fetus have been observed in animal tests. VOCs, along with NO X , play a major role in the atmospheric reactions that produce ozone, which is the primary constituent of smog. People with lung disease, children, older adults, and people who are active can be affected when ozone levels are unhealthy. Ground-level ozone exposure is linked to a variety of short-term health problems, including lung irritation and difficulty breathing, as well as long-term problems, such as permanent lung damage from repeated exposure, aggravated asthma, reduced lung capacity and increased susceptibility to respiratory illnesses such as pneumonia and bronchitis. The Whiting Refinery is surrounded by communities with environmental justice concerns. This settlement is part of the Justice Department’s and EPA’s ongoing focus on assisting communities that have been historically marginalized and disproportionately exposed to pollution. This settlement also supports EPA’s National Enforcement and Compliance Initiative (NECI): Creating Cleaner Air for Communities by Reducing Excess Emissions of Harmful Pollutants. To learn more about this NECI, visit www.epa.gov/enforcement/national-enforcement-and-compliance-initiative-creating-cleaner-air-communities. The State of Indiana assisted in the negotiations and is also a party to the settlement. The settlement is subject to a public comment period and final court approval. The consent decree will be available for viewing at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees .


title: Justice Department Secures Agreement with Cumberland County Addressing Mental Health Care, Suicide Prevention and Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opiate Withdrawal at the Cumberland County Jail

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department today filed a complaint and proposed consent decree with Cumberland County, New Jersey and the Cumberland County Department of Corrections to resolve allegations that conditions at the Cumberland County Jail violate the Constitution. The proposed consent decree resolves the department’s claims that the jail fails to provide adequate mental health care to incarcerated individuals at risk of self-harm and suicide, and fails to provide medication-assisted treatment, where clinically indicated, to incarcerated individuals experiencing unmedicated opiate withdrawal. The proposed consent decree requires the jail to provide adequate mental health care and medication-assisted treatment in those circumstances. “The Justice Department is committed to protecting the civil rights of everyone in our country, and under our Constitution, jails and prisons must provide adequate medical care to incarcerated individuals,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Today’s proposed consent decree is a significant step toward improving the care of individuals incarcerated in Cumberland County who are struggling with serious mental health disorders, and toward protecting the civil rights that are guaranteed by our Constitution.” “This consent decree marks a significant milestone in the Justice Department’s efforts to combat discrimination against those with opioid use disorder and to protect the civil rights of people in our jails and prisons,” said Assistant Attorney General for Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Under this agreement, Cumberland County must provide adequate medical and mental health care, including access to life-saving medications, treatment for opiate withdrawal, and protection for those with a heightened risk of self-harm and suicide. We commend Cumberland County for working collaboratively with us to implement the reforms in this decree to protect the safety and constitutional rights of incarcerated people at Cumberland County Jail.” “The opioid epidemic is a public health emergency that plagues too many communities across the country,” said U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey. “Medications are a critically important tool in combatting the opioid crisis, and they save lives. By providing medication-assisted treatment to incarcerated individuals experiencing opiate withdrawal, officials at jails and prisons can take significant steps to both combat the opioid epidemic and protect the constitutional rights of their populations.” In June 2018, following suicides at the jail by six incarcerated people denied medication-assisted treatment, the Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey initiated the investigation under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act. That statute authorizes the Justice Department to address a pattern or practice of deprivation of constitutional rights of individuals confined to state or local government-run correctional facilities. In January 2021, the Department found reasonable cause to believe that Cumberland County’s failure to provide medication-assisted treatment to incarcerated people with opioid use disorder, together with its failure to offer adequate mental health and suicide prevention measures, violated the rights of incarcerated individuals. The Department also identified measures necessary to remedy the unlawful conditions. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department is available on its website at https://www.justice.gov/crt/special-litigation-section . Additional information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey’s Civil Rights Division is available at: https://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/civil-rights-enforcement . Individuals with relevant information about compliance with the agreement are encouraged to contact the Department by phone at 833-223-1547, or by email at Cumberlandcounty.jail@usdoj.gov .


title: Federal Court Permanently Shuts Down New York Tax Preparer

component: Tax Division

body_text: A federal court in the Eastern District of New York has permanently enjoined a tax return preparer and her Brooklyn-based business from preparing federal tax returns for others and from owning, operating, or working for any tax return preparation business in the future. The civil complaint filed in the case alleged that Melida Portorreal, through her tax return preparation company, International Travel Multi & Tax Corp., prepared fraudulent federal income tax returns for others. According to the complaint, Portorreal prepared and filed fraudulent federal tax returns for others that included the following schemes: reporting false filing statuses, including, in at least one instance, using one customer’s name and social security number to qualify another customer for Head of Household filing status without either customer’s knowledge or consent; fabricating erroneous itemized deductions to reduce taxable income, including false student loan interest deductions, false educator expense deductions, and false employee business expense deductions; fabricating business expenses; and claiming non-deductible expenses on customers’ tax returns in order to obtain entitlement to the earned income tax credit and the child tax credit. The complaint alleges the IRS estimated that Portorreal filed returns due for the 2018, 2019, and 2020 tax years that caused losses to the United States exceeding $1 million in each year. According to the court’s order, Portorreal and her company consented to entry of the injunction, which permits the United States to conduct post-judgment discovery to monitor compliance with the injunction. The order requires that they (1) send notice of the injunction to each person for whom Portorreal and her company prepared federal tax returns, amended tax returns, or claims for refund from February 25, 2021 through May 31 2022, and (2) post an electronic copy of the injunction on any business social media profile currently maintained or created over the next five years. Deputy Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement. Shady tax return preparers remain a concern of the IRS, which recently warned taxpayers about unscrupulous tax return preparers are part of the IRS’s Dirty Dozen series . Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers 10 tips to avoid tax season fraud and ways to safeguard their personal information. In the past decade, the Department of Justice Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website . An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page . If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.


title: Justice Department Secures Agreement with IT Staffing and Services Company for Posting Discriminatory Job Advertisements

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it has secured a settlement agreement with American CyberSystems Inc., a Georgia-based company that provides IT services and staff recruiting nationwide under the name Innova Solutions (formerly ACS Solutions). The settlement resolves the department’s determination that the company violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) when it recruited for two positions using advertisements that unlawfully excluded certain applicants based on their citizenship statuses. “Employers cannot unlawfully discriminate against individuals based on their citizenship status when they advertise job opportunities, plain and simple,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This settlement makes clear our commitment to holding employers accountable when they run afoul of the law and discriminate on the basis of citizenship.” The Civil Rights Division’s new fact sheet adds to the many other department resources available to help employers train their hiring and recruiting staff to avoid the types of discrimination that happened here. The department’s investigation found that American CyberSystems discriminated against U.S. nationals, refugees and asylees by posting an advertisement recruiting only U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents. The position advertised involved access to materials subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR). The ITAR and EAR require employers to seek special authorization from the U.S. government for certain workers if their job requires accessing export-controlled items. Under these regulations, however, U.S. nationals, asylees and refugees are on the same footing as U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, and employers do not need authorization to share export-controlled items with these workers. The department concluded that the company had no justification to exclude them from hiring. The department also found that the company posted a second, unrelated job advertisement that discriminated against immigrant and U.S. citizen workers by specifically seeking workers with temporary work visas. Under the settlement, American CyberSystems must train its recruiting and human resources staff on the requirements of the INA’s anti-discrimination provision, review its policies to ensure compliance with relevant law and be subject to departmental monitoring and reporting requirements. American CyberSystems also must pay a civil penalty as a result of the discriminatory ads. The Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. The statute prohibits discrimination based on citizenship status and national origin in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices ; and retaliation and intimidation . As explained in a new fact sheet the department issued on April 18, employer obligations under this law do not change when complying with export-control laws and regulations. Another department fact sheet is aimed at helping employers avoid discrimination when recruiting using online job ads. Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video . Find more information on how employers can avoid citizenship status discrimination on IER’s website . Applicants or employees who believe they were discriminated against based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing, recruitment or during the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify); or subjected to retaliation, may file a charge . The public can also call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); email IER@usdoj.gov ; sign up for a free webinar ; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Subscribe for email updates from IER. Spanish version


title: El Departamento de Justicia llega a un acuerdo con una compañía de contratación y servicios informáticos por haber publicado anuncios laborales discriminatorios

body_text: El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha llegado a un acuerdo conciliatorio con American CyberSystems, Inc. una compañía con sede en Georgia que presta personal y servicios informáticos por todo el país bajo el nombre Innova Solutions (previamente conocida como ACS Solutions). El acuerdo resuelve la determinación por parte del Departamento que la compañía vulneró la ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad (INA, por sus siglas en inglés) al reclutar para dos puestos mediante anuncios que, de manera ilegal, excluyeron a ciertos postulantes con base en su estatus de ciudadanía. «Los empleadores simplemente no pueden discriminar, de forma ilícita, a individuos con base en su estatus de ciudadanía a la hora de publicar oportunidades laborales», declaró Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «Este acuerdo deja en claro nuestro compromiso de responsabilizar a los empleadores cuando vulneran la ley y discriminan por motivos de ciudadanía.» «La nueva hoja informativa de la División de Derechos Civiles es un recurso más entre otros muchos recursos departamentales que existen para ayudar a empleadores a capacitar a su personal de contratación y reclutamiento a evitar los tipos de discriminación que ocurrieron en este caso.» La investigación del División de Derechos Civiles halló que American CyberSystems discriminó a nacionales de los EE. UU., refugiados y asilados al publicar un anuncio que reclutaba únicamente a ciudadanos y residentes permanentes legales de los EE. UU. El puesto publicado involucraba el acceso a materiales que quedan sujetos a los Reglamentos del Tráfico de Armas Internacionales de los Estados Unidos (ITAR, por sus siglas en inglés) y los Reglamentos para la Administración de Exportaciones (EAR, por sus siglas en inglés). Los ITAR y EAR requieren que los empleadores pidan una autorización especial del Gobierno de los EE. UU. para ciertos trabajadores si su puesto requiere que accedan a artículos sometidos a controles a la exportación. No obstante, de acuerdo con estos reglamentos, los nacionales estadounidenses, así como los refugiados y asilados, están en la misma posición como ciudadanos y residentes permanentes legales de los EE. UU., y los empleadores no necesitan autorización para poder compartir artículos sometidos a controles a la exportación con esos trabajadores. El Departamento concluyó que la compañía no tenía motivos fundados para excluirlos de la contratación. Por otra parte, el Departamento halló que la compañía publicó otro anuncio laboral no relacionado con el primero que discriminó a trabajadores inmigrantes y ciudadanos de los EE. UU. al buscar específicamente a trabajadores con visas temporales. Conforme el acuerdo, American CyberSystems deberá capacitar a su personal de recursos humanos en cuanto a los requisitos de la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA, revisar sus políticas para garantizar que cumplan con las leyes relevantes y someterse a los requisitos de supervisión y declaración del Departamento. Asimismo, American CyberSystems deberá pagar una sanción civil como resultado de los anuncios discriminatorios. La Sección de Derechos de Inmigrantes y Empleados de la División de Derechos Civiles es responsable de hacer cumplir la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA. La ley prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de estatus de ciudadanía y nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido o reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión, prácticas documentales injustas y represalias e intimidación . Según se explica en una nueva hoja informativa que el Departamento publicó el 18 de abril, las obligaciones del empleador al amparo de esta ley no cambian a la hora de cumplir con los reglamentos y leyes que controlan las exportaciones. Otra hoja informativa tiene como objetivo ayudar a los empleadores a evitar la discriminación cuando reclutan mediante el uso de anuncios laborales en línea. Para aprender más sobre la labor de la IER y cómo conseguir ayuda, vea este vídeo corto. Aprenda más sobre cómo los empleadores pueden evitar la discriminación por motivos de estatus de ciudadanía en el sitio web de la IER . Aquellos aspirantes o empleados que creen haber sido discriminados por motivos de su estatus migratorio, ciudadanía o nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido, reclutamiento o verificación de la elegibilidad para trabajar (Formulario I-9 e E-Verify) o sujetos a represalias pueden presentar una denuncia . El público también puede llamar a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores al 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); llamar a la línea directa de la IER para empleadores al 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); enviar un correo electrónico a IER@usdoj.gov ; inscribirse a un seminario en línea gratuito; o visitar los sitios web de la IER en inglés o español . Inscríbase para recibir las últimas noticias de la IER por correo electrónico.


title: Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Federal Narcotics and Firearms Offenses for Maintaining Stash House in DC Apartment Building

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: WASHINGTON – Eder Luciano Pacheco, 36, a citizen of Mexico, pleaded guilty today to maintaining a drug-involved premises and unlawful possession of a firearm by an alien illegally or unlawfully in the United States. The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget, of the Washington Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Chief Robert J. Contee III, of the Metropolitan Police Department. Luciano Pacheco entered the plea in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Chief Judge James E. Boasberg scheduled a sentencing hearing for August 31, 2023. According to the government’s evidence, on May 28, 2022, members of the Metropolitan Police Department responded to an apartment building in the District’s Southwest Waterfront neighborhood after receiving a report that a vacant apartment unit was being unlawfully occupied. Upon officers’ entry into the unit, the defendant exited a bedroom and made his presence known to police. Officers observed large bags of a leafy green substance consistent in appearance with marijuana. Officers also observed several large duffle bags containing suspected marijuana. The substance was later weighed, and a representative sample was field tested. The substance weighed approximately 618.75 pounds (approximately 280.66 kilograms) and field-tested positive for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive compound in marijuana. Officers recovered a loaded semi-automatic handgun from the bedroom the defendant had been occupying when they first entered the unit. The defendant advised officers that there was another gun in a cabinet above the refrigerator. The few other items in the apartment, such as a FoodSaver vacuum sealer, indicated that the apartment was being used to repackage bulk marijuana for further distribution. Luciano Pacheco was arrested on May 28, 2022, and has remained in custody ever since. Maintaining a drug-involved premises carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000. Unlawful possession of a firearm by a person illegally or unlawfully in the United States carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentence imposed in this case will be determined by the Court after considering the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves, Special Agent in Charge Forget, and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Karla Nunez. Finally, they commended the efforts of Assistant United States Attorneys Paul V. Courtney and Samuel Frey, who investigated and prosecuted the case.


title: Readout of Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta’s Meeting with Members of European Parliament to Discuss Women’s Rights

component: Office of the Associate Attorney General

body_text: Today, Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta participated in a meeting with a delegation from the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE), alongside attendees from the White House Gender Policy Council and the U.S. Department of State. The convening, which featured representatives from Belgium, Croatia, France, Germany and Spain, was hosted by the State Department. During the discussion, the Associate Attorney General highlighted how the Justice Department has collaborated with its federal partners to protect reproductive rights and counter gender-based violence. The group discussed how, under Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, the Justice Department established the Reproductive Rights Task Force, chaired by Associate Attorney General Gupta, as a whole-of-department effort to safeguard federal protections of reproductive rights in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization . Today’s meeting takes place during National Women’s Health Week, which is observed May 14 - 20, and continues the department’s engagement with our international allies on gender-related issues. In early March, the Associate Attorney General hosted a delegation from the European Parliament’s Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM). Moving forward, the department remains committed to working closely with our international allies to safeguard and strengthen the rights of all women. Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta (right) with Director Margaret Pollack of the Office for the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration’s Office of Multilateral and External Coordination at the U.S. State Department (far left); Senior Advisor Varina Winder for the U.S. State Department’s Office of Global Women’s Issues (left center); and Director Jennifer Klein of the White House Gender Policy Council (right center) as they discuss relevant issues with members of the European Parliament. Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta speaks with representatives from the European Parliament, U.S. Department of State and White House Gender Policy Council.


title: Justice Department Leadership Honors Service and Sacrifice of Nation’s Law Enforcement for Police Week

body_text: In recognition of National Police Week, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco, and Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta joined law enforcement partners to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice to our nation. In 1962, President John F. Kennedy proclaimed May 15 as National Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which May 15 falls as National Police Week. Established by a joint resolution of Congress in 1962, National Police Week is a collaborative effort of many organizations dedicated to honoring the service and sacrifice of America’s law enforcement community. This year, memorial events ran May 9 - 20. Today, Attorney General Garland delivered remarks at the 2021-2022 Medal of Valor ceremony hosted by President Joseph R. Biden Jr., at the White House. The Medal of Valor is awarded to public safety officers who have exhibited exceptional courage, regardless of personal safety, in the attempt to save or protect others from harm. The Deputy and Associate Attorneys General also attended the ceremony. In his remarks, Attorney General Garland said, “Every day, in communities across the country, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency services officers are asked to respond to our most difficult moments. And every day, without hesitation, you answer that call. You are on the frontlines of our nation’s most pressing public safety challenges. And you are the Justice Department’s indispensable partners in our shared work to keep communities safe. From the bottom of my heart, and on behalf of the entire Justice Department – thank you.” Earlier this week, Attorney General Garland delivered the keynote address at the Annual National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service, sponsored by the Grand Lodge Fraternal Order of Police and the Grand Lodge Fraternal Order of Police Auxiliary, on the west front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., honoring the officers who recently made the ultimate sacrifice and paying tribute to all the fallen. Deputy Attorney General Monaco and Associate Attorney General Gupta attended the service. Last week, Attorney General Garland, Deputy Attorney General Monaco, and Associate Attorney General Gupta visited the National Law Enforcement Memorial and laid a wreath in honor of the men and women who have died in the line of duty. To recognize not only Justice Department employees who died in the line of duty but also their surviving family members and friends, Attorney General Garland and Deputy Attorney General Monaco attended memorial services for the Justice Department’s four law enforcement components: the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Deputy Attorney General Monaco also delivered remarks at a memorial service to honor fallen federal correctional officers from the Bureau of Prisons (BOP), during National Correctional Officers Week, which ran May 7 - May 13. The Department’s leadership also convened a gathering of 10 law enforcement associations with whom they regularly meet, the four heads of the Justice Department’s law enforcement components, and representatives from other federal agencies to discuss the implementation of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, recruitment and retention of law enforcement, improving access to behavioral health services, and responding to people in crisis. Joined virtually by Secretary of Education Miguel A. Cardona and in-person by the Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services Andrea Palm, the discussion focused on whole of government approach federal agencies are taking to combat gun violence and violent crime. Over the weekend, Attorney General Garland attended the annual candlelight vigil honoring the officers who lost their lives in 2022. Attorney General Garland and other high-ranking government officials, along with officials from local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, read the names of the fallen. According to the FBI’s recent release of statistics , 118 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty in 2022. So far in 2023, 22 law enforcement officers have lost their lives in the line of duty. A full list of the events attended on behalf of the Department include: National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund Wreath Laying FBI Memorial Service ATF Memorial Service DEA Memorial Service USMS Memorial Service BOP Memorial Service Law Enforcement Quarterly Meeting and Reception with partners National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund 35th Annual Candlelight Vigil National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service Medal of Valor Awards Ceremony


title: Gangster Disciple Member Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Conspiracy Involving Firebombing and Drug Distribution

body_text: A member of the Gangster Disciples gang pleaded guilty today to a racketeering conspiracy involving his firebombing of a prison guard’s house and the distribution of more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. Today’s plea marks the 12th and final conviction in the Northern District of Mississippi case against five members of the Gangster Disciples and seven members of the Simon City Royals, a gang aligned with the Gangster Disciples. According to court documents, Darrell Steele, 49, of Meridian, Mississippi, was a member of the Gangster Disciples. Acting on the orders of high-ranking Gangster Disciples leaders, Steele and other gang members manufactured firebombs to bomb the home of a prison guard who was interfering with the gang’s illegal drug operation within Mississippi state prisons. On or about Sept. 11, 2019, Steele threw a firebomb into the home where the guard lived with his wife and young children. The firebomb malfunctioned, and the guard and his family escaped unharmed. Steele pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 16 and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The other 11 defendants in the case have already been sentenced to the following terms of imprisonment: Defendant Prison Sentence Latroy Daniels, aka Duke 10 years Gregory Moffett, aka Gutta, aka Sir Judah 10 years Michael Willie, aka OG Mike 10 years Derrick Houston, aka Psycho 16 years and eight months Donald Jones, aka Worm Seven years and eight months Wilton Johnson, aka Big Boi Three years and five months Jeremy Smith, aka Lil One Three years and five months Carl McMillian Five years and 10 months James Vaughn, aka Sir Flute: Five years and 10 months Justin Hannah Eight years and four months Joe Johnson Seven years and eight months In a related case, the Criminal Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi are currently prosecuting another 21 members and associates of the Simon City Royals. According to court documents, the Gangster Disciples and Simon City Royals were allied under the “Folk Nation Alliance.” Within the Mississippi state prison system and throughout the state of Mississippi, the Gangster Disciples and Simon City Royals worked together to conduct fraud, narcotics trafficking, and other criminal moneymaking schemes, and committed several acts of violence, including assaults and attempted murders. Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner for the Northern District of Mississippi, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the ATF New Orleans Field Division made the announcement. The ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Secret Service, FBI Jackson Field Office, Mississippi Department of Corrections, and local law enforcement agencies across multiple states are investigating the cases. Trial Attorney Brendan Woods of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel Stringfellow for the Northern District of Mississippi are prosecuting the case.


title: Former D.C. Government Employee Pleads Guilty to Stealing more than $350,000 from the District’s Project Empowerment Program

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: Defendant Previously Served Prison Sentence for Different Theft Scheme WASHINGTON – Rhayda Barnes Thomas, 52, of Washington, D.C., a former employee of the D.C. Department of Employment Services’ Project Empowerment Program, pleaded guilty today to stealing more than $350,000 from the Project Empowerment Program between May 2015 and April 2018. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, District of Columbia Inspector General Daniel W. Lucas, and Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood, Washington Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Barnes Thomas pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud before the Honorable Richard J. Leon, who scheduled sentencing for August 16, 2023. As part of her plea agreement, she agreed to pay restitution of at least $354,000, and to be liable for a forfeiture money judgment totaling $318,413. The D.C. government’s Project Empowerment Program provides employment services to D.C. residents who have multiple barriers to employment, such as a history of substance abuse, a history of job cycling (not maintaining steady employment), and either a felony conviction or previous incarceration. One phase of the program consists of subsidized employment, which involves the D.C. government paying the wages of participants while they work at worksites. During this phase, worksites were responsible for entering participants’ work hours into an electronic system used by Project Empowerment. In turn, the D.C. government would then have payments corresponding with those hours issued to accounts associated with participants, usually in the form of pre-paid bank debit cards. In 2011, Barnes Thomas pleaded guilty in Maryland federal court to theft involving a federal government program in connection with a scheme to use federal funds received by her school employer to buy technology for herself, her family, and friends. She was sentenced to 27 months in prison for that offense. In August 2013, following her release from prison, Barnes Thomas participated in the Project Empowerment Program. She ultimately was hired by the program as a Program Support Assistant in February 2014. From May 2015 through April 2018, she stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from the program by reviving 16 former Project Empowerment participants’ profiles and modifying entries in a database to falsely show them as working for a non-profit organization, which was not true. She also used the name of a former employee from the non‑profit organization to enter and approve time in the database showing individuals as working when they were not. In addition, she ordered or caused to be ordered replacement and new prepaid debit cards on behalf of the former Project Empowerment participants whose profiles she fraudulently revived. As a result of her conduct, she caused the D.C. government to request that Wells Fargo Bank load funds onto those prepaid debit cards, which she controlled. In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Graves, Inspector General Lucas, and Inspector in Charge Wood commended the work of those who investigated the case from the D.C. Office of the Inspector General, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Criminal Investigations Unit in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. They also acknowledged the efforts of individuals from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kondi Kleinman and David Gorman, Financial Analyst Bryan Snitselaar, Paralegal Specialists Michon Tart, Mariela Andrade, and Amanda Rohde, and former Paralegal Specialists Brittany Phillips and Aisha Keys.


title: Judge Imposes Eight Consecutive Life Sentences Plus 260 Years in Prison for ISIS-Inspired 2017 Murder of Eight Victims and Attempted Murder of 18 Others in NYC Truck Attack

body_text: Sayfullo Saipov, 34, of Uzbekistan, was sentenced to eight consecutive life sentences, two concurrent life sentences, and a consecutive sentence of 260 years in prison for carrying out a terrorist attack on Oct. 31, 2017, in the name of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), in which Saipov used a truck to murder eight victims and injure many more on a bike path in lower Manhattan. On Jan. 26, a jury convicted Saipov of all 28 counts in the indictment, which charged Saipov with murder for the purpose of gaining entrance to a racketeering enterprise (ISIS); assault with a dangerous weapon and attempted murder for the purpose of gaining entrance to a racketeering enterprise (ISIS); providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization (ISIS) resulting in death; and damage and destruction to a motor vehicle resulting in death. On March 13, 2023, the same jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict on whether Saipov should be sentenced to death, resulting in a mandatory sentence of life in prison. “Today’s sentence means that Sayfullo Saipov will spend the rest of his life in federal prison for brutally murdering eight innocent victims during his carefully calculated ISIS terrorist attack,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Department of Justice honors the victims, their families, and the survivors of this horrific attack. We will continue to vigorously defend the American people from threats of terrorism and will work tirelessly to bring those who perpetrate terrorist attacks to justice.” “Although it has been more than five years since Sayfullo Saipov carried out this horrific, senseless attack in the name of ISIS, the FBI never relented in our pursuit of justice for the victims and their loved ones,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “This case demonstrates the FBI’s steadfast commitment to working with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who commit acts of violence inspired by terrorist groups.” “In March 2023, a jury determined that Sayfullo Saipov would spend the rest of his life in prison for his heinous crimes. Today, the court issued the maximum possible penalty on each count of conviction and ordered that eight of Saipov’s life sentences along with 260 years in prison will run consecutively to the other sentences imposed,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York. “These eight life sentences account for the eight lives Saipov stole when he committed his vicious ISIS attack. The 260 years in prison constitutes the maximum penalty for the 18 attempted murders Saipov cruelly committed, which included the attempted murders of four children. More than just holding Saipov accountable for his depraved crimes, the proceedings today gave further voice to the victims. More than 20 victims and family members addressed the Court and confronted Saipov. They bravely and boldly shared their pain and devastation. While we cannot make these victims whole after what Saipov stole from them, this office along with our partners in the Department of Justice and the FBI are proud to have served the victims and sought justice on their behalf.” As set forth in public documents in the case and statements made during court proceedings: On Halloween afternoon in 2017, Saipov used a 6,000-pound truck to strike more than 20 innocent people on the Hudson River Bike Path in lower Manhattan. Saipov killed eight of his victims and critically injured many others, including a 14-year-old child. Saipov’s surviving victims suffered amputations, serious brain injuries, life-altering physical injuries, and significant psychological trauma. Saipov committed his attack after years of devotion to the brutal terrorist organization ISIS and after months of careful planning. In the weeks before his attack, for example, Saipov rented a truck to practice maneuvering it so that he could hit as many people as possible. Saipov brought a note to the attack with the ISIS flag and rallying cry written on it. After his attack, while in custody at a hospital, Saipov told the FBI that he committed the attack in response to calls from the leader of ISIS and that he was proud of what he had done. Saipov smiled when describing his attack and sought to hang the ISIS flag in his hospital room. After the attack, ISIS praised Saipov as an Islamic State soldier and called his attack one of the most prominent attacks in the United States. In the years since his attack, Saipov continued to demonstrate his devotion to ISIS, including though statements in court, recorded telephone calls, and writings seized from his prison cell. In prison, Saipov also made statements confirming his continued belief that enemies of ISIS should be eliminated and threatening to cut the heads off of corrections officers. At the liability and sentencing phases of trial, many of Saipov’s victims and their family members bravely described the terror he caused and the pain and suffering they continue to endure. While the jury determined that Saipov would be sentenced to life in prison on six counts of conviction, Judge Broderick sentenced Saipov to the statutory maximum penalty on each count of conviction and ordered that Saipov’s sentences on the counts of conviction charging him with murder and attempted murder of particular victims would run consecutively to all other sentences imposed. In total, Saipov was sentenced to eight consecutive life sentences, 260 years in prison to run consecutively, and two additional life sentences to run concurrently to each other and to all other sentences imposed. The judge will issue an order concerning restitution to victims at a later date. More than 20 victims and family members delivered emotional and powerful victim impact statements at Saipov’s sentencing. The FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which consists of investigators and analysts from the FBI, the New York City Police Department, and over 50 other federal, state, and local agencies investigated the case. The Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations; the Justice Department’s National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Criminal Division’s Capital Case Section and Organized Crime and Gang Section provided valuable assistance, as did the Justice Department’s Office of Enforcement Operations and Office of International Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda L. Houle, Jason A. Richman, Alexander Li, and Andrew Dember for the Southern District of New York, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Daniel Sitko, and Trial Attorney John Cella of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Trial Attorney Michael Warbel of the Criminal Division’s Capital Case Section prosecuted the case.


title: Omaha Man Sentenced for Felon in Possession of a Firearm

body_text: United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Lugene Burnett, 59, of Omaha, Nebraska, to 21 months’ incarceration for Felon in Possession of a Firearm. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Burnett will serve a 3-year term of supervised release. On May 18, 2022, Burnett went to Sol’s Jewelry and Loan and pawned a Savage Arms Springfield 120A .22L rifle for $45. On May 13 and May 22, 2022, Burnett also pawned ammunition at Sol’s. During the transactions, Burnett’s driver’s license was copied, his fingerprints were taken, he was photographed, and he signed documents completing the transaction. The rifle was examined by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and was determined to have traveled in interstate commerce prior to Burnett’s possession. The Omaha Police Department investigated the history of the firearm and determined that the firearm belonged to Burnett’s girlfriend’s great uncle who had passed away. Burnett’s girlfriend was present in the pawnshop during the transactions, but Burnett was the one handling the firearm and ammunition and completing the transactions. Prior to May 13, 2022, Burnett had been and knew he had been convicted of felonies to include Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree and Sexual Abuse in the Third Degree in Iowa and Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act Violation in Nebraska. This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. The United States Attorney’s Office has prosecuted this case with support from the following Project Guardian partner: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Omaha Police Department. For more information about Project Guardian, please see www.justice.gov/archives/ag/about-project-guardian .


title: Mexican Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Alfredo Escobar, 40, of Guanajuato, Mexico, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for Conspiracy to Possesses with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Escobar to 10 years in prison. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Escobar will begin a five-year term of supervised release. Law enforcement made two controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Escobar over the course of a 10-month period in the Omaha area. The first buy was for one ounce of methamphetamine on August 3, 2020. The second buy was for two ounces of methamphetamine on June 1, 2021. On June 11, 2021, a search warrant was served on Escobar’s Omaha residence with officers locating approximately one pound of methamphetamine. During a post-arrest interview, Escobar admitted to his involvement in distributing methamphetamine. This case was the result of an investigation by the Omaha Police Department.