title: Man Sentenced to 46 Months for Using Stolen Identities of UCSD Students to Commit Bank Fraud and Pandemic-related Unemployment Fraud

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: Nehemiah Joel Weaver—who used the stolen identities of UCSD undergraduate students to commit bank and Covid-related frauds and then threatened someone he believed was working to expose his crimes—was sentenced in federal court to 46 months in prison and ordered to pay $225,392 in restitution to victims. Weaver pleaded guilty in September 2022 to bank fraud, mail fraud, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges. He admitted to using the identities of at least 15 people, a group that included UCSD students, his former supervisor, and a former girlfriend. Weaver’s co-defendant, Mia Nikole Bell, admitted to stealing the student identities in her capacity as a UCSD employee and to providing them to Weaver. She was sentenced in December 2022 to four months in custody and was ordered to pay $16,480 in restitution. Weaver further admitted in his plea agreement that he initially used some of the identities to open accounts and take out loans in the victims’ names at a credit union. Months later, he used the identities to obtain over $200,000 in Covid-related unemployment benefit payments from California and Arizona. When Weaver learned of law enforcement’s investigation into his fraud, he sent threatening text messages to a perceived cooperating witness—including one in which he claimed to have “[p]aid good money” to have them killed. Weaver also sent these text messages to the supposed cooperating witness: “NO MERCY!” “How long do you think you will be safe for? You are just a sitting duck[.]” “Lol so dead you don’t even know it yet[.]” “Can’t wait to see the look on your face. Paid good money to see it.” In imposing the sentence, U.S. District Judge Gonzalo P. Curiel noted Weaver was on probation for felony identity theft convictions when he committed these new crimes. The judge noted the harm, anger, and fear that identity theft causes victims and observed that Weaver defrauded government agencies that exist to help people. Judge Curiel ordered the forfeiture of cash and the luxury vehicle that investigators seized from Weaver. “Mr. Weaver used stolen identities to defraud critical state agencies that sought to help Americans during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said United States Attorney Randy S. Grossman. “This office will continue to work with our federal, state, and local agency partners in the investigation of such crimes and the pursuit of justice for victims.” Grossman thanked the prosecution team, the United States Secret Service and the San Diego Police Department for their excellent work on this case. “Today’s sentencing is an example of our dedication and commitment to protecting the American financial system and targeting those who, by fraudulent means, seek to exploit and profit from government assistance programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason Reynolds, San Diego Field Office, U.S. Secret Service. “We, along with our law enforcement partners, are committed to pursuing justice and holding criminals accountable for their actions.” As part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020, Congress provided new unemployment benefits for those affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic who would not otherwise qualify for unemployment insurance. The EDD administers unemployment insurance benefits in California, and DES does the same in Arizona. If you think you are a victim of COVID-19 fraud, immediately report it the FBI (visit ic3.gov, tips.fbi.gov, or call 1-800-CALL-FBI or the San Diego FBI at 858-320-1800. In addition, the public is urged to report suspected fraud schemes related to COVID-19 by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline (1-866-720-5721) or by e-mailing the NCDF at disaster@leo.gov . DEFENDANTS Case Number 21-CR-2722-GPC Nehemiah Joel Weaver Age: 37 San Diego, CA Mia Nikole Bell Age: 32 Houston, TX SUMMARY OF CHARGES Bank Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1344(1) Maximum penalty: Thirty years in prison; $1 million fine or twice the pecuniary gain/loss Mail Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1341 Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison; $250,000 fine or twice the pecuniary gain/loss Wire Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1343 Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison; $250,000 fine or twice the pecuniary gain/loss Aggravated Identity Theft – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1028A Mandatory minimum two years in prison AGENCIES United States Secret Service San Diego Police Department


title: Bookkeeper Sentenced for Embezzling Funds from Native Village

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ANCHORAGE – A Minto woman was recently sentenced for embezzling money from the Native Village of Minto while employed in a position of trust. According to court documents, Melanie Gail Titus, 52, was employed as the bookkeeper for the Minto Village Council, which is the federally recognized native governing body for the Native Village of Minto. Starting in January 2015, the defendant began embezzling funds from the Minto Village Council’s accounts by issuing herself multiple payroll checks for the same pay periods, tendering duplicative deposits, and falsifying reimbursements for work expenses over the years for personal enrichment. She never returned the money. In May 2019, the defendant confessed her theft to the Minto Village Council, and a federal investigation ensued, revealing that her scheme resulted in an actual loss of $55,753.99. The defendant entered a preindictment plea agreement with the United States following the conclusion of the investigation, and on February 21, 2023, she pleaded guilty to a felony violation, charging her with violating 18 U.S.C. § 666(a)(1), Theft Concerning Programs Receiving Federal Funds. On June 29, 2023, U.S. Chief District Judge Sharon L. Gleason sentenced the defendant to 300 hours of community service work to be completed within 3 years, a 5-year probation term, and $55,753.99 in restitution, among other conditions. At sentencing, the defendant described her past addiction to cocaine and alcohol as a factor that clouded her judgment and fueled the scheme. The government emphasized the seriousness of the defendant’s conduct in a position of trust and the economic harm faced by the native village due to her scheme. In sentencing the defendant, the Court was emphatic that the defendant must make reasonable payments toward restitution and that the 300 community service hours must benefit the Native Village of Minto and its members. “Over the years, the defendant stole from the Village of Minto to fuel her substance addiction at the expense of her community,” said U.S. Attorney Lane S. Tucker of the District of Alaska. “The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting those who seek to victimize our rural communities.” “Through her years-long embezzlement scheme, the defendant deliberately chose personal enrichment at the expense of her own community, causing economic harm to a village already faced with limited resources,” said Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “The FBI will continue to pursue and hold accountable those who abuse their positions to steal public funds.” The Fairbanks Resident Agency of the FBI Anchorage Field Office conducted the investigation, with assistance from the Alaska State Troopers. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Tran is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Highlands County Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Federal Prison for Armed Drug Trafficking

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – Oscar Robinson, 67, of Sebring, Florida, has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for armed drug trafficking. Following his guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On July 21, 2021, Robinson distributed crack cocaine from his residence in Sebring, Florida. On January 21, 2022, Robinson again distributed crack cocaine from his residence. On February 1, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Robinson’s residence, during which they seized a loaded Smith & Wesson, .357 caliber revolver, several grams of crack cocaine, a detailed drug ledger, and $10,900.00. Robinson has prior felony convictions from the State of Florida for, among other things, assault with intent to commit robbery, aggravated assault with a firearm, possession of cocaine, possession of cocaine with intent to sell, sale of cocaine, and sale of cocaine. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division, announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore. DEA Miami investigated the case, with assistance from the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Porter prosecuted it. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 22-cr-14064. ###


title: Foreign National Indicted for International Drug Trafficking

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A Mexican national made his initial appearance in the District of Columbia today to face international cocaine and marijuana trafficking charges. According to court documents, between 2000 and 2010, Eleazar Medina Rojas, aka Chelelo, 51, was a high-ranking member of the Zetas, an international drug trafficking organization allied with the Gulf Cartel. Together, the Zetas and the Gulf Cartel, known collectively as “The Company,” was a violent, transnational drug trafficking organization based in Mexico that was engaged in the manufacture, distribution, and importation of ton quantities of cocaine and marijuana from Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala, Panama, and elsewhere into the United States. Medina Rojas was also the “plaza boss” for the city of Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, controlling the Zeta’s drug trafficking activities in that area. In May 2013, a grand jury in the District of Columbia returned a fourth superseding indictment against Medina Rojas. In December 2018, Mexican authorities arrested Medina Rojas pursuant to a provisional arrest requested by the United States. Medina Rojas remained detained in Mexico pending his extradition. He was extradited from Mexico to the United States on July 6. Medina Rojas is charged with one count of conspiracy to manufacture and distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and over 1,000 kilograms of marijuana intending and knowing that those substances would be imported into the United States. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and DEA Administrator Anne Milgram made the announcement. The DEA Houston Division is investigating the case with assistance from the DEA Mexico City Country Office. Trial Attorneys Kirk Handrich and Janet Turnbull of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Medina Rojas. The Office of Enforcement Operations also provided significant assistance. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Claremore Man Sentenced for Sexual Abuse

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: Tulsa, Okla. – A Cherokee citizen from Claremore was sentenced for aggravated sexual abuse of a minor under 12 in Indian Country and sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. Raymond Dale Dudley, 61, was sentenced July 6 2023, by U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell to 40 years for count one, aggravated sexual abuse of a minor under 12 in Indian Country, and 15 years for count two, sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country. Frizzell further ordered the sentences to run concurrently followed by supervised release, and fined Dudley $50,000. “The defendant repeatedly abused his own daughter and coerced her into lying about it to avoid prosecution,” said U.S. Attorney Clinton Johnson. “The court made it clear that the abuse, betrayal, and blame shifting inflicted on the victim warranted a lengthy sentence.” According to his plea agreement, Dudley admitted that he sexually abused the victim between 2009 and 2013. He further admitted that the abuse started when she was approximately nine years old and lasted until she was 13 years old. In a court filing, the prosecutor elaborated that in 2013, the victim’s older sister reported that she had been sexually abused by Dudley. At that time, Dudley promised the younger victim that he would stop abusing her if she hid the sexual abuse from child protective services workers when they investigated the older sister’s abuse. The younger victim complied, denying any abuse when she was interviewed at the home in 2013. The Oklahoma Department of Human Services closed the investigation. In 2015, the older sister again disclosed that Dudley abused her, but the Oklahoma Department of Human Services closed the referral, citing the 2013 case closure. In 2021, the younger victim, now an adult, spoke about the abuse with an individual she trusted. Soon after, the victim reported the crimes to the Claremore Police Department. The younger victim disclosed Dudley repeatedly abused her, and it started when she was nine years old. Investigators also spoke to the older victim who reported being abused by Dudley. The FBI and Claremore Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chantelle D. Dial and Valeria G. Luster prosecuted the case. The case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Terrebonne Man Pleads Guilty  to Trafficking Fentanyl  and Firearm Violation

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – JOSHUA PICOU , age 30, of Houma, Louisiana, pleaded guilty on July 6, 2023 to violations of the Federal Gun Control Act and Federal Controlled Substances Act, announced United States Attorney Duane A. Evans. Specifically, he pleaded guilty to distributing a substance containing fentanyl and cocaine and possessing fentanyl, cocaine base (“crack”), and cocaine with the intent to distribute, all in violation of Title 21 United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 841(b)(1)(C). He further pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). According to court documents, PICOU distributed a substance containing fentanyl and cocaine on May 27, June 2, and June 22, 2021. Later, on June 24, 2021, he possessed forty (40) grams or more of fentanyl, twenty-eight (28) grams or more of cocaine base, and a quantity of cocaine, with the intent to distribute those substances. On that same date, he possessed two firearms, a Glock Model 17 handgun and a Springfield Armory XDM-9. PICOU possessed those firearms while prohibited due to his prior criminal convictions. These convictions include a felony possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance in Louisiana and a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence in Louisiana. At sentencing, for distribution of fentanyl and cocaine as well as or possession with intent to distribute cocaine charges, PICOU faces a maximum of twenty (20) years imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000.00 fine, and at least three (3) years of supervised release, as to each charged count. For possession with intent to distribute fentanyl or cocaine base, he faces a minimum of five (5) years and a maximum of forty (40) years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000.00 fine, and at least four (4) years of supervised release. For possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a felony offense, he faces a maximum of ten (10) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three (3) years of supervised release. As to each charged count in the indictment , he also faces payment a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee. 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. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Homeland Securities Investigations and the Terrebonne Parish Sherriff’s Office in investigating this matter. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Haller of the Violent Crime Unit.


title: Dentist Agrees to Pay $150,000 in Penalties for Alleged Controlled Substances Violations

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – A 49-year-old Tulsa Dentist has agreed to a settlement following an investigation and allegations her practice violated the Controlled Substance Act. Jennifer Burkitt DDS will pay $150,000 in penalties. During an inspection of Burkitt’s dental practice, authorities discovered multiple violations that occurred Nov. 5, 2020, through June 9, 2022. Violations included failure to maintain effective controls against diversion of controlled substances, practicing dentistry in an unsafe or unsanitary manner, failing to maintain complete and accurate records of controlled substances, failing to retain proper forms and failure to maintain proper inventory. The investigation also discovered gross negligence by administering unsafe doses of legend drug to children. “The CSA was enacted to protect the health and safety of the public,” said United States Attorney Clinton Johnson. “Our office is committed to holding health care providers accountable when they violate the law and fail to uphold their duties as gatekeepers to controlled substances.” The government’s pursuit of this matter illustrates its emphasis on combating the diversion of controlled substances. Record keeping and other regulations applicable to Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registrants, including dentists, are the tools by which the DEA deters drug diversion. The DEA conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marianne Hardcastle prosecuted the case. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.


title: Hagerstown Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Child

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland - U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III today sentenced John Frederick Hegedus, age 34, of Hagerstown, Maryland, to 30 years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for sexual exploitation of a child. Judge Russell also ordered that, upon his release from prison, Hegedus must register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”). The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office. According to his guilty plea, Hegedus sexually abused a six-year old girl on seven separate instances between April 26, 2022 and June 9, 2022. Hegedus admitted that he used his cellular phone to record his abuse of the minor victim and subsequently posted the videos to a child pornography group chat. The videos were reported to law enforcement and on June 9, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Hegedus’ apartment and Hegedus was arrested. During the execution of the warrant, agents noted that the background shown in the videos matched the defendant’s apartment. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI for its work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen E. McGuinn, who prosecuted the federal case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Dothan Man Sentenced for Federal Tax Evasion, Mail Fraud, and Drug Charges

component: USAO - Alabama, Middle

body_text: Montgomery, Alabama – On July 6, 2023, Kenneth Cherden Glasgow, 58, from Dothan, Alabama, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for tax evasion, mail fraud, and drug conspiracy charges, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Stewart. The judge also ordered that Glasgow serve three years of supervised release following his prison term and pay the IRS $376,720.00 in restitution. Glasgow pleaded guilty to the crimes on February 24, 2023. According to court documents, Glasgow founded two nonprofit organizations, The Ordinary Peoples Society (TOPS) and Prodigal Child Project (PCP). He then solicited donations from other nonprofits and foundations, representing to them and to the IRS that he would use those donations for charitable purposes. Instead, Glasgow withdrew $407,450.00 in cash from the accounts of one of his nonprofit organizations during the 2018 calendar year alone. Glasgow used the money for his own benefit, and as a result, was required to report the funds as income on his tax return. However, Glasgow failed to even file a return for that year. In an attempt to conceal this activity, Glasgow provided erroneous information to his tax preparer, causing the preparer to complete IRS forms for Glasgow’s nonprofit organizations that vastly understated the income of the organizations and omitted the financial benefits Glasgow received from them. From 2016 to 2019, Glasgow withdrew a total of $1,300,848.54 in cash from TOPS and PCP, never accounting for that money on the nonprofits’ IRS forms or on any tax returns of his own. Glasgow also mailed documents containing false statements to the Social Security Administration so that he could continue receiving Social Security disability benefits and related health benefits under the Medicare and Medicaid programs. These statements described his physical abilities and daily activities as being very limited, despite reporting that he worked 50 to 60 hours per week for his nonprofits on the nonprofits’ IRS forms. In some SSA forms, Glasgow claimed that his physical limitations were so severe that he had difficulty driving and had to ride with someone. These statements were not true. Court records show that Glasgow admitted to leasing a vehicle using funds from one of his nonprofits and listed himself as the sole authorized driver. In addition, Glasgow received traffic citations relating to approximately 27 different traffic stops between February 5, 2015, and August 11, 2020. All of the citations indicated that Glasgow was the driver. Glasgow’s sentence also included a charge for conspiring with codefendant Willie Frank Peterson, 50, also from Dothan, to possess cocaine with intent to distribute. Peterson pleaded guilty to his involvement in the drug conspiracy on March 14, 2023. According to Peterson’s plea agreement, Glasgow agreed to purchase cocaine from Peterson in 2018 and 2019. Peterson’s sentencing hearing is currently scheduled for August 2, 2023. The DEA, the FBI, IRS - Criminal Investigation, the U. S. Department of Health, and Human Services - Office of Inspector General, and the Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector General, investigated this case, with assistance from the Dothan Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Megan A. Kirkpatrick, Brandon W. Bates, and Stephen K. Moulton prosecuted the case.


title: La Cañada Flintridge Man Found Guilty of Murder-for-Hire Plots Against His Former Lawyer and a Litigant Who Defeated Him in Court

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: RIVERSIDE, California – A San Gabriel Valley man was found guilty by a jury today of federal criminal charges, including conspiring with his employee to hire a hitman to kill two men – one who opposed him in litigation and the other who represented one of his companies in bankruptcy. Arthur Raffy Aslanian, 54, of La Cañada Flintridge, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy and use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire and one count of use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire. The federal jury also found Aslanian guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit arson, one count of attempted arson, and one count of arson of a building used in interstate commerce. According to evidence presented at a five-day trial, Aslanian conspired with Sesar Rivera, 41, of North Hollywood, Aslanian’s employee, to hire a hitman to murder two people – identified in court documents as “M.Y.” and “S.E.” M.Y. was a lawyer who represented Aslanian in a bankruptcy proceeding in which Aslanian had prevailed but then refused to pay over $261,000 in legal fees and expenses to M.Y.’s law firm. In April 2022, M.Y. sent a demand letter to Aslanian requesting to mediate the dispute and stating he was prepared to sue Aslanian if the mediation failed. S.E. was a litigant who defeated Aslanian in court after Aslanian tried to take possession of the Brentwood home in which S.E.’s parents lived. In April 2022, Rivera – Aslanian’s employee at the time – met with an individual, who according to trial testimony was a gang member and convicted felon. Rivera told the individual that a real estate businessman named “Arthur” wanted to pay him to kill M.Y. and S.E. In July 2022, Rivera again met with the individual and said “Arthur” wanted the killing done as soon as possible. Rivera showed the individual information about M.Y. The individual secretly recorded a portion of this July 2022 in-person meeting on his phone and provided a copy of the recording to law enforcement. Rivera also promised the individual that Aslanian would pay $20,000 for the murder once Rivera had photographic proof the murder had been committed. On August 10, 2022, Rivera again met with the individual and told him to focus on murdering S.E. before killing M.Y. On August 19, 2022, Rivera used the Facebook Messenger application to send the individual a multimedia message with a screenshot of victim S.E.’s Facebook profile, including S.E.’s picture and business name, to assist the individual in locating and murdering S.E. Law enforcement contacted and warned M.Y. and S.E. of the murder plots. On September 7, 2022, law enforcement detained and questioned Rivera, who later agreed to cooperate with them. Aslanian was arrested shortly after a September 15, 2022 meeting in which Rivera showed him a staged murder photograph of S.E. In a separate incident, Aslanian, through Rivera, paid an individual a few hundred dollars for successfully setting fire to a vacant unit at a rental property in North Hollywood own by Aslanian so the remaining tenants would be forced to leave the property. United States District Judge Jesus G. Bernal scheduled an October 2 sentencing hearing, at which time Aslanian will face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for each murder-for-hire-related count and up to 20 years in federal prison for each arson-related count, and a mandatory minimum of five years in federal prison for each arson count. Rivera pleaded guilty on March 27 to one count of conspiracy and one count of use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison for each count at his September 25 sentencing hearing. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Los Angeles Police Department investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Butler of the Violent and Organized Crime Section, Kevin B. Reidy of the Major Frauds Section, and Eli A. Alcaraz of the Riverside Branch Office are prosecuting this case.


title: Houston Man Sentenced to 40 Years for Child Sexual Exploitation, Obstruction

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: A convicted child sex offender was sentenced today to 40 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Jonathan Fitzpatrick Koen, 49, was indicted in December 2022 and went to trial in March 2023. A jury found him guilty of four counts of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of attempted obstruction of an official proceeding. He was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Reed C. O’Connor, who ordered the defendant be subject to a lifetime of supervision following his incarceration. “Children should never be subjected to such appalling abuse. HSI will do everything in our power to continue to remove these predators from our communities,” said HSI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Lester R. Hayes Jr. “This defendant’s lengthy sentence and lifetime of supervised release reflects the severity of his criminal offenses. HSI along with our law enforcement partners remain vigilant in the protection of our nation’s most vulnerable. ” According to evidence presented at trial, Mr. Koen recorded himself sexually assaulting a high-school-aged victim. Once the sexually explicit images and videos were discovered, Mr. Koen picked up the minor victim from her home and drove here through the United States and across the Canadian border before he was apprehended by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Mr. Koen also attempted to change his victim’s trial testimony in order to obtain an acquittal. He attempted to get the victim to testify that it was someone else who produced the videos and images he was charged with recording. Ultimately, the victim was consistent in her testimony, which was consistent with the evidence showing that Mr. Koen sexually assaulted the victim and recorded the videos and images found on his cellphone. Homeland Security Investigations’ Dallas Field Office and the Fort Worth Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandie Wade and Levi Thomas prosecuted the case.


title: New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty  for Distribution of Methamphetamine and Maintaining a Drug Premises

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

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On July 7, 2023, RYAN NEGROTTO, age 43 of New Orleans, pled guilty in federal court to all counts with which he was charged in a superseding indictment, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. Count 1 charged NEGROTTO with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846. Count 2 charged NEGROTTO with distribution and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 18 U.S.C § 2. Count 3 charged NEGROTTO with distribution and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 18 U.S.C § 2. Count 4 charged NEGROTTO with distribution of methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 18 U.S.C § 2. Count 5 and Count 7 charged NEGROTTO with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C § 924(c)(1)(A)(i). Count 6 charged NEGROTTO with possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B). Finally, Count 8 charged NEGROTTO with using or maintaining a drug premises in violation of 21 U.S.C § 856(a)(1) and 18 U.S.C § 2. As to Counts 1, 3, 4, and 6, NEGROTTO faces a minimum imprisonment term of 10 years up to a maximum term of life, a fine of up to $10 million, and at least 5 years of supervised release. As to Count 2, NEGROTTO faces a minimum imprisonment term of 5 years, up to a maximum of 40 years, a fine of up to $5 million, and at least 4 years of supervised release. As to Counts 5 and 7, NEGROTTO faces a minimum, term of imprisonment of 5 years, up to a maximum term of life, a fine up to $250,000, and up to 5 years of supervised release. Finally, as to Count 8, NEGROTTO faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, a fine up to $500,000, and up to 3 years of supervised release. As to each charged count, NEGROTTO faces payment of a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. 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. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the New Orleans Police Department, and the Louisiana State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Mike Trummel of the Violent Crime Unit is handling the prosecution.


title: Southern California Edison, Tree Service and Telecommunications Companies Pay $22 Million to Settle Claims from the 2016 Rey Fire

body_text: LOS ANGELES – Southern California Edison (SCE); Utility Tree Service LLC (UTS); and Frontier Communications Holdings LLC have paid the United States $22 million to resolve claims on behalf of the U.S. Forest Service to recoup costs and damages associated with a 2016 wildfire in the Los Padres National Forest, the Justice Department announced today. The Rey Fire ignited on August 18, 2016, when a tree fell onto powerlines and communication lines owned, respectively, by SCE and Frontier. In 2019, the United States filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Forest Service against SCE and Frontier — as well as UTS, which was SCE’s vegetation management contractor — to recover costs for the extensive damages that the Rey Fire caused. The United States alleged that the impact of the tree on Frontier’s and SCE’s lines caused a malfunction of SCE’s power equipment farther down the power lines and caused an energized power line to fall to the ground. The energized power line ignited adjacent dry vegetation. The Rey Fire burned more than 32,000 acres, including 19,000 acres of National Forest System lands in Santa Barbara County. “This settlement will compensate the public for the expense of fighting the Rey Fire and restoring these federal lands that are enjoyed by all Americans,” First Assistant United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally said. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to aggressively pursue recovery against those who cause damages to our precious national resources.” SCE, UTS, and Frontier agreed to pay the settlement without admitting wrongdoing or fault. This case was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Barragan and Margaret Chen of the Complex and Defensive Litigation Section.


title: Two Las Vegas Men Indicted In Conspiracy To Distribute Methamphetamine Through Juvenile

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – Two Las Vegas residents made their initial appearance in federal court yesterday for allegedly orchestrating a conspiracy from about January 3, 2021 to at least June 2, 2022 to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine in Las Vegas and across state lines. As part of the conspiracy, Daniel Saldana, 36, and Mario Estrada, 21, are believed to have used a juvenile to distribute narcotics while Saldana was incarcerated on other charges. Saldana, also known as “Chapo,” and Estrada have each been charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and two counts of distribution of a controlled substance. Estrada has also been charged with two additional counts of distribution of a controlled substance. Saldana and Estrada were arraigned on July 6, 2023, and July 7, 2023, respectively. United States Magistrate Judge Nancy J. Koppe scheduled a jury trial before United States District Judge Cristina D. Silva on September 11, 2023. If convicted, Saldana and Estrada each face a statutory maximum penalty of a lifetime period of incarceration, and a mandatory minimum of ten years. The Department of Justice is committed to the prosecution of drug trafficking organizations that exploit juveniles to further the trafficking of narcotics. Methamphetamine is a highly addictive drug with potent central nervous system stimulant properties. Methamphetamine is a Schedule II stimulant under the Controlled Substances Act, which means that it has a high potential for abuse. For more information about Methamphetamine, read the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Drug Fact Sheet at: https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2020-06/Methamphetamine-2020_0.pdf . United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kevin Adams for the DEA Las Vegas District Office made the announcement. This case was investigated by the DEA Las Vegas District Office, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and the North Dakota Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation. The United States Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Former Kirkland, Washington resident sentenced to 13 years in prison for possessing images of child rape and abuse, and for plan to sexually assault a child

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 35-year-old former resident of Kirkland, Washington was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 13 years in prison for attempted enticement of a minor and possession of child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Marcus William Lowe has been in federal custody since November 2020. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez said, “The impact is lifelong to those victims who are revictimized every time those images are downloaded and viewed. Every single one of those photos reflects a real child, a real victim.” “Those who prey on children face significant federal prison time,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Gorman. “These crimes leave life-long scars on the young and vulnerable. It is entirely appropriate that we use custody time, post sentence supervision and registration as a sex offender to keep our community safe.” According to records filed in the case, in early October 2020, Lowe used an internet application to communicate with a parent about molesting a ten-year-old child. In fact, the child was fictitious, and the “parent” was an undercover FBI agent. When Lowe arrived at the location and spotted law enforcement he attempted to flee and injured a law enforcement officer in the process. A review of Lowe’s electronic devices revealed he possessed several hundred images of child rape and sexual abuse. A minor child revealed that Lowe had sexually abused the child. He was sentenced in King County Superior Court to 41 months in prison for that conduct. “It is heartbreaking that child predators cause lasting damage on innocent children without caring that they are destroying lives,” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Seattle. “We hope that these prosecutions send a message to other would-be sex offenders that law enforcement takes these crimes seriously, and there will be consequences.” Judge Martinez ordered that the 13-year federal sentence run concurrent to the state sentence. Lowe will be required to register as a sex offender following prison and will be on supervised release for 15 years following the prison term. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . The case was investigated by the FBI. The operation was conducted in cooperation with the Seattle Police Department, and the Kirkland Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matt Hampton.


title: Orange County Businessman Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion  for Failing to Report Nearly $9 Million of His Company’s Income

body_text: SANTA ANA, California – The owner of a Newport Beach-based artificial turf company pleaded guilty today to a federal criminal charge for failing to report nearly $9 million in income his business earned and for attempting to evade the payment of more than $946,000 in federal income taxes. Craig Steven Voyton, 56, of San Pedro, pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion. Voyton owns and operates Smart Grass LLC, which installs artificial turf for residential and commercial customers in Orange and Los Angeles counties. According to his plea agreement, from 2016 to 2020, Smart Grass generated more than $1.5 million in gross income per year from its business operations, and – not wanting to pay taxes that income – Voyton attempted to conceal that income from the IRS. To do so, Voyton emailed customers federal tax forms listing false identification information, so if and when the customers reported to the IRS the payments they had made to him and his company, those payments would not tie for tax purposes directly to Voyton or Smart Grass. On three occasions in 2020, Voyton emailed to customers in Los Angeles and Beverly Hills an IRS Form W-9 with false information and a signature in a fictitious identity. Voyton admitted in his plea agreement to sending similar fraudulent IRS Forms W-9 during the tax years 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. Voyton further admitted to providing a false IRS Form W-9 to a school in Irvine in August 2016. While attempting to evade the payment of taxes during this time, Voyton made more than $63,000 in transfers to the Coinbase cryptocurrency exchange from a Smart Grass bank account. Voyton also used more than $500,000 in company funds to make real estate purchases in Nevada and Mexico. In total, Voyton failed to report approximately $8,926,333 in income, which prevented the IRS from assessing the total sum of approximately $946,479 in federal income taxes for the tax years 2016 through 2020. Voyton has agreed that before sentencing, he will pay the IRS all the back taxes he owes, plus interest, as well as paying an additional 75% fraud penalty. United States District Judge John W. Holcomb scheduled a September 8 sentencing hearing, at which time Voyton will face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Charles E. Pell of the Santa Ana Branch Office is prosecuting this case.


title: New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty  to Federal Firearms Offense

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On July 6, 2023, TERRANCE RICHARDS, age 38, of New Orleans, pleaded guilty to possessing ammunition while being a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to court documents, on August 22, 2020, New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) officers were sent to the intersection of General Ogden and Olive Streets in New Orleans following a report of shots being fired. Through further investigation, NOPD and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) identified RICHARDS as one of the shooters. RICHARDS ’ s prior felony convictions for attempted distribution of cocaine (2010), possession of cocaine (2010), felon in possession of a firearm (2011), and distribution of cocaine (2012), prohibits his possession of a firearm. RICHARDS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten (10) years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and up to three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. He also faces payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. RICHARDS will be sentenced on October 26, 2023. 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. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Trummel of the Violent Crime Unit.


title: Rochester Man Going To Prison On Carjacking And Gun Charges

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Devin C. Johnson, Jr., 32, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of carjacking and discharge of a firearm in relation to a crime of violence, was sentenced to serve 174 months by U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassie Kocher, who handled the case, stated that on April 14, 2022, Johnson approached a taxicab driver (Victim) at a gas station on Dewey Avenue and asked for a ride to Lake Avenue and Flower City Park. During the ride, Johnson pressed a handgun against the Victim’s stomach and demanded his cell phone and car keys. The Victim drove back to the gas station and got out of the taxicab with his car keys after a brief struggle inside the vehicle. Johnson grabbed the Victim, threw him to the ground, and forcibly took the car keys from him, striking him twice in the head with the butt end of the handgun. Johnson also pointed the gun at Victim 1 and discharged one round, striking the ground next to the Victim. Johnson then took off in the Victim’s vehicle. A Monroe County Sheriff Sergeant attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the stolen vehicle near Salmon Creek Road in Spencerport, NY. Johnson got out of the vehicle and fled but was taken into custody after a short foot pursuit and turned over to Rochester Police officers. A 9mm pistol, which was reported stolen in South Carolina, was found nearby where Johnson fled. The case was brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office as part of its Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative. PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Police Chief David Smith, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia. # # # #


title: Rochester Man Going To Prison For Selling Fentanyl

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Robert Colon, 31, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, was sentenced to serve 24 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassie M. Kocher, who handled the case, stated that between January 2022, and March 9, 2022, Colon sold quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, and/or para-fluorofentanyl to an undercover law enforcement officer on different occasions, which resulted in an arrest warrant being issued on March 23, 2022. Colon was taken into custody on May 30, 2022. At that time, he possessed approximately 189 baggies containing fentanyl, approximately 16 baggies of cocaine, and $1,748 in cash, which represented drug proceeds. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith, the Greater Rochester Area Narcotics Enforcement Team, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino. # # # #


title: Woman who laundered more than $1 million in drug proceeds for Mexican cartel sentenced to 3+ years in prison

body_text: Seattle – A 36- year-old resident of Mexico was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 44 months in prison for her role in laundering millions of dollars in drug proceeds for drug traffickers, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. In March 2023, Sonia L. Mezquita Vega pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering and a dozen counts of specific substantive counts of money laundering. At today’s sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez acknowledged that Mezquita Vega was not making the millions she was depositing, however, “The only reason the drug business survives is the money that comes with it,” Judge Martinez said. “Drug dealing is a business that traffics in pain, sorrow, and heartbreak for the families who watch their loved one succumb to addiction,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Gorman. “Those who transmit the illegal drug proceeds to the drug cartels are a critical cog keeping the poisons of fentanyl, meth, heroin, and cocaine flowing to our communities. Such conduct deserves a significant sanction.” Mezquita Vega was one of seventeen defendants indicted in August 2020 for a money laundering scheme that sent as much as $2.6 million to a drug trafficking organization in Mexico. Mezquita Vega has been in custody since she was arrested in the Tucson, Arizona area on February 3, 2022. According to records filed in the case, Mezquita Vega initially worked as a “funnel account holder,” someone who opened a bank account where drug proceeds could be deposited and later transferred to or withdrawn by the drug traffickers. Later, Mezquita Vega became a “money mule,” traveling the country and picking up drug proceeds to deposit into her funnel account or others. Finally, Mezquita Vega supervised others in the money laundering scheme, traveling with them to collect drug proceeds and directing how the funds should be deposited. During seven months in 2014, $352,030 was deposited in the funnel account opened by Mezquita Vega. At the same time, an additional $236,540 was funneled through an account apparently opened by Mezquita Vega’s mother. Between October 2014 and April 2016, Mezquita Vega became a money mule/depositor and was responsible for depositing $830,906 in drug proceeds. In asking for the five-year sentence, Assistant United States Attorney Vince Lombardi wrote to the court, “Drug dealing is a business. If people could not make money – often lots of money – they would not sell drugs. Money is the vitally necessary fuel for the drug epidemic. And money laundering, of the type perpetrated by (this organization), is the pipeline that fuel flows through.” This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vincent T. Lombardi.


title: Man On Parole After Murder Conviction Sentenced to Prison for Identity Theft and Making False Statements During the Purchase of a Firearm

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A felon who fled his parole on a murder conviction and moved to Oregon was sentenced to federal prison today for using stolen identities to apply for multiple Oregon driver’s licenses and making false statements while attempting to purchase multiple firearms. Johnny Lee Allen, 45, was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. According to court documents, in 1999, Allen was convicted of second-degree murder in Douglas County, Nebraska and sentenced to 35-50 years in prison. Shortly after he was released from Nebraska state custody in April 2019, he cut off his electronic monitoring bracelet and fled the state. Four months later, he used a stolen identity to obtain a Wyoming identification card. In late August 2019, he showed up at a DMV office in Gresham, Oregon and applied for and obtained an Oregon identification card using the same stolen identity. Two months later, in October 2019, Allen used the stolen identity a third time to apply for an Oregon driver’s license. During the same time period, Allen used fraudulently-obtained identity documents for multiple firearm transactions. On November 1, 2019, he attempted to purchase a semi-automatic rifle, but cancelled the transaction when the background check was delayed. The next day, a woman Allen was dating purchased a .40 caliber pistol. Over the next nine months, Allen loaned the pistol to three different pawn shops in exchange for cash. In November 2020, Allen attempted to purchase a second firearm, but again cancelled the transaction rather than wait for a background check to be completed. In July 2022, Allen used his brother’s identity to apply for a second Oregon driver’s license. His second attempt at an Oregon license failed when he used the same address he had used to obtain the first and his photo was flagged for potential fraud in the state’s DMV system. On July 29, 2022, Allen was charged by criminal complaint with Social Security fraud and aggravated identity theft. On December 20, 2022, he was arrested in Oregon City, Oregon. During his arrest, law enforcement located and seized four different fraudulent pieces of identification on Allen’s person. All were obtained using the personal information of Allen’s first identity theft victim. On March 22, 2023, Allen pleaded guilty to a two-count criminal information charging him with aggravated identity theft and making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm. This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG) with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). It was prosecuted by Rachel Sowray, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.


title: District of Columbia Man Sentenced to 105 Months in Prison for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm

body_text: WASHINGTON — Jermaine Dukes, 29, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 105 months in prison for unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition and unlawful possession with intent to distribute a mixture containing a detectable amount of marijuana. According to court documents, on Aug. 4, 2022, two Metropolitan Police Department (“MPD”) Officers observed a man, later identified as Dukes, approach a vehicle parked in a parking lot in the 1400 block of Saratoga Ave. N.E. The officers watched as Dukes approached the vehicle, opened the trunk, and removed a large black bag. Dukes then reached into the black bag and pulled out a large plastic bag of marijuana. Dukes began separating the marijuana into smaller bags consistent with distribution and then watched as he weighed each small bag on a scale. Court records say that MDP officers responded to the location for additional investigation. Officers then searched the vehicle and obtained over a pound of marijuana, two loaded firearms, and U.S. currency. Dukes was then arrested and transported in an enforcement vehicle for processing. An investigation into the matter determined that Dukes had possessed the two loaded firearms. Dukes is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to two previous felony convictions in the District of Columbia of felon in possession and possession with intent to distribute while armed. Dukes pleaded guilty on April 6, 2023, to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition and unlawful possession with intent to distribute a mixture containing a detectable amount of marijuana. Dukes was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden. Following completion of his prison term, he will be placed on 36 months of supervised release. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Ashley Pattison and Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Joy Jackson.


title: New York Man Sentenced to 17 and a Half Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of Children and Distribution of Child Pornography

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Vincent Galarza, 32, of Glendale, New York, was sentenced today to 17 and a half years – or 210 months – in prison for his involvement and participation in the world’s formerly largest darknet child pornography website, Welcome To Video. Galarza pleaded guilty on Jan. 17, 2023, to sexual exploitation of children and conspiracy to distribute child pornography. Galarza is one of eight prolific users of the website Welcome to Video, charged in the District of Columbia for their participation in a massive darknet advertisement and distribution of child pornography. Welcome To Video operated as a hidden service on the Tor network until March 2018, when it was seized by law enforcement authorities. As of October 2019, when the Department initially announced its indictment of Welcome to Video site administrator Jong Woo Son (a South Korean national, subsequently convicted in South Korea), an additional 337 site users worldwide had been arrested and charged. Additional defendants charged and convicted in the District of Columbia include Nicholas Stengel, 47, of Washington, D.C.; Charles Wunderlich, 36, of Hot Springs, California; Ernest Wagner, 72, of Federal Way, Washington; Darryl Miller, 36, of Shawnee, Kansas; Jason DeJournett, 47, of Seal Beach, California; Brian LaPrath, 36, of San Diego, California; and Michael Ezeagbor, 24, of Pflugerville, Texas. According to court documents, users of the website created registered accounts with usernames and a password. Only after the user registered an account could the user browse previews of videos available for download and post text to the website. To download videos from the site, users needed “points,” which were allocated to users by the website. A registered user could earn points from the website in several ways, including uploading videos depicting child pornography, referring new users to the website, and paying for a “VIP” account with Bitcoin. Court documents show that certain persons joined the conspiracy to distribute child pornography by uploading videos. Those co-conspirators who uploaded videos of child pornography for “points” also earned additional “points” each time a customer of the site downloaded that particular video. Court documents state that the co-conspirators had a shared goal as part of the conspiracy – increasing the number of unique videos on the website to drive additional traffic to it, which in turn led to greater downloads and more points for the co-conspirators. The following is a summary of the conduct of each defendant charged in the District of Columbia. Vincent Galarza Between approximately May 31, 2017, and February 9, 2018, Galarza downloaded at least 174 videos from the website and uploaded approximately 560 videos, all of which depicted child pornography. A subsequent forensic search of Galarza’s electronic devices revealed that he was in possession of an additional 500 images and 102 videos of child pornography, the majority of which depicted sexually explicit conduct of pre-pubescent children. During the search of the electronic devices, court documents say that authorities identified two minor victims that had been secretly recorded by Galarza. Galarza captured at least 20 videos of one of the minor victims that he then edited and clipped to produce over 966 still-shot images that focused on the same minor’s genitalia and pubic area. Investigators also determined that Galarza had used images produced of one of the minor victims in an attempt to extort the victim into sending him additional images. Nicholas Stengel Stengel was sentenced to 180 months in prison and a lifetime of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography and laundering of monetary instruments. Stengel had a previous conviction for possession of child pornography. Stengel had amassed an extensive collection of child pornography from the website, with over 6,000 videos and 600,000 images. Charles Wunderlich Wunderlich was sentenced to 87 months in prison and 15 years of supervised release on June 28, 2022, after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute child pornography. Wunderlich uploaded 13 videos and downloaded four videos of child pornography from the website. Ernest Wagner Wagner was sentenced to 60 months in prison and a lifetime of supervised release on June 4, 2021, after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute child pornography. Wagner uploaded 84 videos and downloaded 40 videos depicting child pornography from the website. A forensic review of his electronic devices identified an additional 92 images and 22 videos depicting child pornography in his possession. Darryl Miller Miller was sentenced to 60 months in prison and five years of supervised release in the District of Kansas on Sept. 22, 2020, after he pleaded guilty to access with intent to view child pornography. Miller downloaded approximately 20 gigabytes of data from the website and had approximately 57 child pornography images on his devices. Jason DeJournett DeJournett was sentenced to 33 months in prison and a lifetime of supervised release on July 30, 2021, after he pleaded guilty to access with intent to view child pornography. DeJournett downloaded 113 videos of child pornography from the website. Brian LaPrath LaPrath was sentenced to 18 months in prison on June 19, 2019, after he pleaded guilty to laundering monetary instruments. LaPrath exchanged funds to obtain Bitcoin and used that Bitcoin to download child pornography from the website Michael Ezeagbor Ezeagbor was sentenced to time served and five years of supervised release on June 25, 2021, in the Western District of Texas after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute child pornography. Ezeagbor uploaded ten videos and downloaded 42 videos depicting child pornography from the website. A subsequent forensic review of his electronic devices identified an additional 190 images and 14 videos depicting child pornography in his possession. Additional investigations into those affiliated with Welcome To Video remain ongoing. These cases were investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The Korean National Police of the Republic of Korea, the National Crime Agency (NCA) of the United Kingdom and the German Federal Criminal Police (the Bundeskriminalamt), provided assistance and coordinated with their parallel investigations. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs of the Criminal Division provided significant assistance. These cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Lindsay Suttenberg, former AUSA Zia M. Faruqui, and former AUSA Youli Lee, Paralegal Specialists Brian Rickers and Diane Brashears, Legal Assistant Jessica McCormick, and Records Examiner Chad Byron of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney C. Alden Pelker of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section. Additional assistance has been provided by Deputy Chief Keith Becker and Trial Attorney James E. Burke IV of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, and former U.S. Attorney’s Office Paralegal Specialists Toni Anne Donato and Ty Eaton.


title: Las Vegas Resident Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Access Device Fraud

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Las Vegas, Nevada, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of conspiracy to commit access device fraud, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Hector Ofelio Podio Gutierrez, age 30, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon. In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Podio Gutierrez used counterfeit credit cards encoded with stolen bank account information to purchase MasterCard gift cards at Sam’s Club stores in the Pittsburgh area, as well as in Florida and California. During the month of December 2017, Podio Gutierrez and his codefendant, Yoandy Pou Torres, using an encoding device, created counterfeit credit cards, and then used the cards to make fraudulent gift card purchases totaling more than $382,000 at various Sam’s Club locations, approximately $170,000 of which were purchases conducted at Pittsburgh area stores. Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for November 1, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 5 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Podio Gutierrez remains on bond pending sentencing. Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The United States Postal Inspection Service and the United States Secret Service conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Podio Gutierrez.


title: U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves Welcomed Hundreds of Youth to 13th Annual “Breaking the Silence on Youth Violence” Anti-Violence Summit

body_text: WASHINGTON - U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, D.C. (MPD), and numerous community-based organizations welcomed more than 200 youth at the 13th Annual “Breaking the Silence on Youth Violence” Anti-Violence Youth Summit, held on July 7 at MPD’s First District Police Station and streamed virtually. The event focused on a variety of subjects, including gun violence prevention; drug and alcohol abuse prevention; mental health awareness; self-respect; diversity, understanding, and respect of the differences of others as a means of promoting allyship and reducing bullying and violence. A moment of silence was held to remember young victims lost by homicide in 2022. The summit comprised dynamic speakers, entertainment, information, and resources. U.S. Attorney Graves presented the United States Attorney’s Office’s Youth Citizenship Awards to seven youth participants. There was also a “Healing through Creativity” Poetry Contest, the winner of which read their poem at the summit. Since the U.S. Attorney’s Office hosted its first Youth Summit in 2011, thousands have participated in this program. The event is a part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhood Program, a nationwide effort to reduce violent crime. This year’s partners included the East of the River Family Strengthening Collaborative, the Marion Barry Summer Youth Program, the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation, the T.R.I.G.G.E.R. Project, the D.C. Prevention Centers, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency and Prevention of the U.S. Department of Justice, and the Metropolitan Police Department.


title: Omaha Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine Conspiracy

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan T. Lehr announced that David Gonzalez-Jimenez, 24, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on July 5, 2023, by Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. to 78 months’ imprisonment to be followed by four years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Gonzalez-Jimenez pled guilty in March 2023 to Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine. In 2022, Gonzalez-Jimenez delivered approximately one pound of methamphetamine to a cooperating individual. Officers later recovered approximately $14,425 cash and an additional approximately one pound of methamphetamine from Gonzalez-Jimenez’s residence and vehicle. The cash was forfeited. This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.


title: Omaha Woman and Oakland Couple Sentenced for Government Loan Program Fraud

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan T. Lehr announced that Jazmyne L. McMiller, 36, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on July 6, 2023, by United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher to twelve months and one day of imprisonment for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud. After McMiller’s release from prison, she will begin a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. McMiller was also ordered to pay restitution of $267,040.20. McMiller was the third defendant to be convicted and sentenced in connection with this case. On February 8, 2023, Sharon M. Thompson, 62, of Oakland, Nebraska, was sentenced by Judge Buescher to four years of probation for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud. Sharon Thompson was also ordered to pay restitution of $355,020.30. On May 31, 2023, Todd A. Thompson, 57, of Oakland, Nebraska, was sentenced by Judge Buescher to 41 months’ imprisonment for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud. He will serve two years of supervised release. Todd Thompson was also ordered to pay restitution of $1,193,957.10. During 2020 and 2021, all three defendants submitted applications for Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) program loans. The PPP and EIDL loan programs were created or expanded by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, which was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The applications submitted or caused to be submitted by all three defendants misrepresented how much the applicant businesses had paid employees in past compensation and how much revenue each had received, resulting in significantly inflated loan amounts under the PPP and EIDL programs. The PPP applications were supported by false documents that Todd Thompson helped prepare, including false tax forms that each defendant signed. In total, McMiller submitted or caused to be submitted fraudulent applications seeking loans in the amount of approximately $404,324 and obtained $254,324. The fraudulent applications Sharon Thompson signed sought loans totaling approximately $469,886, and she obtained $344,786. The fraudulent applications Todd Thompson signed sought loans totaling approximately $1,368,892.00, and he obtained $552,892.00. In total, the three defendants submitted fraudulent applications seeking loans totaling $2,243,102.00 and obtained $1,152,002.00. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


title: Falls City Woman Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute of Methamphetamine

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan T. Lehr announced that Taylor Zimmerling, 27, of Falls City, Nebraska, was sentenced on July 6, 2023, by Senior United States District Court Judge John M. Gerrard to a term of 42 months’ imprisonment following her conviction for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. After she completes her prison sentence, Zimmerling will also serve three years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Between January and June of 2021, Zimmerling and co-defendant Daniel Lock distributed methamphetamine in and around Falls City. Several cooperating witnesses told investigators that Zimmerling and Lock, who was also sentenced to 42 months’ incarceration and three years of supervised release, delivered distribution quantities of methamphetamine to them. On June 3, 2021, investigators executed a search warrant at Lock and Zimmerling’s residence in Falls City. Investigators located approximately 55 grams of methamphetamine, scales, packaging material, cash, and a police scanner. A search of cell phones belonging to Lock and Zimmerling revealed messages consistent with drug delivery, sales, and distribution. Zimmerling admitted that she and Lock had been going to another state to obtain methamphetamine which they delivered to others. She admitted that they had just picked up another batch of methamphetamine one day before the residential search warrant. A forensic scientist at the Nebraska State Patrol Crime Lab found the drug seizure to contain at least 44 grams of pure methamphetamine. This case was investigated by the Richardson County Sheriff’s Office.


title: Des Moines Man Sentenced for Giving False Information During Firearm Purchase

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan T. Lehr announced that Mani Deng, 31, of Des Moines, Iowa, was sentenced today in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, by Senior United States District Court Judge John M. Gerrard to a term of 13 months’ imprisonment following his conviction for giving false information during the purchase of firearms. After he completes his prison sentence, Deng will also serve three years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. On November 8, 2021, Deng purchased two firearms from Scheels in Omaha, Nebraska, a federally licensed firearms dealer. In connection with each firearm purchase, Deng had to fill out paperwork to include a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) form requiring a purchaser to list a current address. A current address is significant to the purchase of the firearm because, among other reasons, a federally licensed firearms dealer cannot legally sell a firearm to a person without accurate address information on the purchase paperwork. Deng wrote on the form and confirmed to the sales representative from Scheels that his address was located at a residence on North 28th Street in Lincoln, Nebraska; when in fact that was not where he was living on November 8, 2021. Witnesses, including the owners of the North 28th Street residence, told investigators that Deng was not living at that residence as of November 8 when Deng purchased the firearms. Deng admitted that he falsely represented his address with intent to deceive Scheels. This case was investigated by the Lincoln Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


title: Eufaula Resident Sentenced To 121 Months For Distribution Of Methamphetamine

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Donald Ray Cowan, age 61, of Eufaula, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 121 months imprisonment for Distribution of Methamphetamine. The charges arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration. On February 18, 2022, Cowan pleaded guilty to one count of Distribution of Methamphetamine. At the plea hearing, Cowan admitted to knowingly distributing more than 50 grams of actual methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, on December 10, 2022. The Honorable Judge Timothy D. DeGuisti, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting by appointment, presided over the sentencing in Oklahoma City. Cowan will remain in custody pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.


title: McAlester Resident Sentenced For Sexual Abuse In Indian Country

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Dustin Dewayne Bristow, age 37, of McAlester, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 240 months in prison for sexual abuse of a minor. On February 14, 2022, Bristow pleaded guilty in federal district court to one count of Sexual Abuse in Indian Country. At the plea hearing, Bristow admitted to sexually abusing a child under the age of 16 between 2007 and 2008. The crime occurred in Pittsburg Country, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation and the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The Honorable Jodi W. Dishman, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting by appointment, presided over the hearings in Muskogee. Bristow will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant United States Attorney Edith A. Singer represented the United States.


title: Muskogee Resident Pleads Guilty To Possession Of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Eastern

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Troy Richard Jenkins, age 32, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of possession of child pornography, punishable by up to 20 years in prison. During the plea hearing held June 27, 2023, Jenkins admitted to knowingly possessing and accessing with the intent to view more than 600 visual depictions involving the sexual exploitation of minors. Some of the pornographic images depicted children under the age of 12. Jenkins also admitted to distributing child pornography to others. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the tab “Resources.” The charges arose from an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations. The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, United States Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. At the conclusion of the plea hearing, Jenkins was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing. Assistant United States Attorney Anthony C. Marek represented the United States.


title: Former Morris School Teacher Sentenced For Sexual Abuse Of A Minor In Indian Country

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Dallas Tyler Ewton, age 41, of Morris, Oklahoma, was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 180 months each for two counts of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country, to be served concurrently, and 6 months for one count of Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian Country, to be served consecutively. The charges arose from investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police. On July 7, 2022, Ewton pleaded guilty to two counts of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country and one count of Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian Country. Ewton, then employed as a full-time teacher at Morris Public Schools, engaged in sexual acts with two of his students. At the plea hearing, Ewton admitted to sexually abusing a student between April 2012 and June 2016. He also admitted to sexually abusing another student between September 2019 and January 2020. The crimes occurred in within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. “This case represents a nightmare scenario for any parent,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “The defendant took advantage of the time-honored relationship of teacher and student to prey on his victims.” The Honorable Timothy D. DeGiusti, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Ewton will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve the non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant United States Attorney Edith A. Singer represented the United States at the sentencing hearing.


title: Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Hate Crimes for Racially Motivated Attacks on Two Black Women

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: A Florida man pleaded guilty yesterday to two federal hate crimes for attacking two Black women with a gun. According to the plea agreement, using force or a threat of force, Frederick Eugene Pierallini III, 27, willfully intimidated the victims and interfered with their enjoyment of federally protected activities because of their race and color. Victim 1 was enjoying her private employment, and Victim 2 was enjoying a facility provided by the state of Florida. Specifically, on Sept. 10, 2022, Pierallini went to Daily’s Place, a convenience store, located at 620 Chaffee Road South in Jacksonville, Florida. Victim 1 was working there as a clerk at the register. Pierallini attempted to buy snacks at the register, but his card was declined. He then attempted to walk out of the store with unpaid merchandise. Pierallini ultimately returned, scolding Victim 1 for not knowing how to do her job and directing racial slurs at her. Pierallini left the store, retrieved a shotgun from his car, pointed it at Victim 1 and cocked it by pulling the slide back to open the chamber and load a bullet into it. Victim 1 ran away in fear. Pierallini used racial slurs throughout the encounter. Two days later, on Sept. 12, 2022, Pierallini approached Victim 2 as she was sitting in her walker on the public sidewalk near 1571 University Boulevard West. He directed racial slurs at her and told her that she could not sit where she was. Pierallini also threatened to kill Victim 2. He then left, returned with a shotgun and fired a single shot. “The defendant is being held accountable for targeting two Black women with a gun on two separate days because of their race and because they were engaging in federally protected activities,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Racially motivated threats and acts of violence have no place in our society today. The Justice Department stands ready to investigate and prosecute individuals who target Black people with threats and acts of violence.” “The defendant in this case committed a vile assault on two women with a dangerous weapon because of their race,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “These actions were repugnant and endangered the women’s and the public’s safety. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to counter crimes like these with the full force of the law.” “Investigating these acts and seeking justice remains a top priority for the FBI and our partners because hate crimes are not only an attack on the victim – they are meant to threaten and intimidate an entire community,” said Special Agent in Charge Sherri E. Onks of the FBI Jacksonville Field Office. “There is no place for hate and racism, and no one should ever fear they could be targeted in an act of violence based on how they look, where they’re from or any part of their identity. The team at FBI Jacksonville is proud to work alongside our partners at the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office to protect all members of this community.” A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled. For each count, Pierallini faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, three years of mandatory supervised release and a fine up to $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant Attorney General Clarke, U.S. Attorney Handberg and Special Agent in Charge Onks made the announcement. The FBI Jacksonville Field Office and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Washington for the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorney Anna Gotfryd of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.


title: Somerset County Man Charged With Drug Distribution Resulting In Death

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Somerset County man appeared in federal court yesterday on charges including drug distribution that resulted in a death, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger announced today. Thomas Kane Miller, 38, of Somerset, New Jersey, is charged by federal complaint with one count of possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin and one count of distribution of fentanyl and heroin that resulted in a death. Miller had an initial appearance before the Honorable Jessica S. Allen, United States Magistrate Judge, in Newark federal court and was detained. According to documents filed in this case: In October 2022, Miller distributed a mixture of fentanyl and heroin to an individual who died as a result of using the substance. Law enforcement located the deceased victim at a residence in Plainfield, New Jersey. Inside the victim’s residence were two wax folds containing fentanyl and heroin bearing a unique stamp, which law enforcement linked to Miller. Shortly before the victim’s death, the victim and Miller were communicating about arranging to meet. Miller is also charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin arising from an incident ten days prior where he was found in possession of multiple wax folds of heroin and fentanyl bearing the same unique stamp. The count of drug distribution resulting in death carries a maximum potential penalty of life imprisonment, a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment, and a fine of $1 million. The count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin carries a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison and a fine of $1 million. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the New York DEA Strike Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino, III, and members of the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor John P. McDonald, and members of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone, with the investigation, leading to the charges. This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The arrest was the result of an investigation by the New York Strike Force, a crime-fighting unit comprising federal, state and local law enforcement agencies supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force and the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny Chung of the Office’s OCDETF/Narcotics Unit, in Newark. The charges and allegations contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. miller.complaint.pdf


title: Brooklyn Man Convicted Of Strongarm Extortion Scheme

body_text: TRENTON, N.J. – A Brooklyn man was convicted of conspiring with others in a week-long strongarm extortion scheme in 2019, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Endrit Kllogjeri, 29, was convicted on June 27, 2023, of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act extortion and attempt to commit Hobbs Act extortion following a one-week trial before U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi in Trenton federal court. On June 13, 2023, co-defendant Francis Garzon pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court to his role in the scheme. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial: From Dec. 1, 2019, through Dec. 9, 2019, Kllogjeri and Garzon conspired and attempted to extort a resident of Monmouth County, New Jersey, and the resident’s son, who lived in Brooklyn, New York. The victim was threatened with physical harm if the victim did not recover a bag containing property allegedly valued at $100,000 from the victim’s son. Kllogjeri and Garzon further demanded an additional payment of $100,000 as “interest” for the son’s possession of the bag. In connection with issuing threats against the victim, including threats to the victim’s family members, Garzon additionally brandished a revolver, pointing the weapon at the victim and cocking the revolver’s hammer. Over the ensuing week, Kllogjeri and Garzon communicated regularly with the victim telephone, continuing to threaten victim. Kllogjeri and Garzon were arrested together in a vehicle on Dec. 9, 2019 in Brooklyn. Moments before the arrest, Garzon had attempted to send the victim a text message confirming the victim’s plan to pay the demand. Kllogjeri faces a maximum potential penalty of 20 years on each count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act extortion and attempted Hobbs Act extortion. Each count also carries a potential $250,000 fine. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents with the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the conviction. He also thanked the Marlboro Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief Peter Pezzullo; and the New York City Police Department for their assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric A. Boden, Attorney-in-Charge of the Trenton Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ian D. Brater of the Trenton Office.


title: Court Orders Maryland Pharmacy to Pay $120,000 Penalty  in Case Alleging Unlawful Opioid Distribution

component: Civil Division

body_text: A federal court enjoined a Cumberland, Maryland, pharmacy and its owner and pharmacist from dispensing controlled substances, including opioids, without taking specific steps to help ensure the drugs will not be abused or diverted, and ordered them to pay a $120,000 civil penalty. The court’s order, entered pursuant to a consent decree of permanent injunction, resolves a complaint filed by the United States on June 16 alleging that Beckman’s Greene Street Pharmacy and its owner and pharmacist-in-charge, John A. Beckman, filled hundreds of prescriptions in violation of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). The complaint alleges that the defendants ignored obvious “red flags” of drug abuse, drug diversion, and drug-seeking behavior. For example, according to the complaint, the defendants repeatedly filled prescriptions for dangerously large doses and high-risk combinations of controlled substances known to be sought by drug abusers and which significantly increase the risk of overdose. The complaint alleges that the defendants frequently filled prescriptions for an opioid known as buprenorphine in a form that did not include the abuse-deterrent component with which it is ordinary prescribed. The complaint further alleges that the defendants often dispensed controlled substances to patients who lived long distances from the pharmacy or who paid in cash despite the availability of insurance. According to the complaint, at least 10 patients died within 10 days of having controlled substance prescriptions filled at Beckman’s Greene Street Pharmacy. “Pharmacies and pharmacists have an obligation to prevent the illegal dispensing of controlled substances,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department will work with its law enforcement partners to hold responsible those who dispense potentially dangerous prescription drugs in violation of the law.” “Those who fill and dispense controlled substances prescriptions, including for opioids, without fulfilling their responsibilities, fan the flames of the ongoing opioid epidemic,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland will use all tools at its disposal — criminal and civil — to hold responsible those who violate the CSA.” “The devastating effects of opioid overdoses and poisonings have affected many lives in our local communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the DEA Washington Division. “Health care providers have a great responsibility as it relates to dispensing medications to meet the health needs of our citizens. This includes being vigilant for any signs of controlled substance diversion or misuse. Our team is committed to protecting the safety and health of all Americans, which includes ensuring that all licensed professionals comply with the law and report dangerous behaviors.” Beckman and Beckman’s Greene Street Pharmacy agreed to be bound by the consent decree. The injunction entered by U.S. District Judge Lydia Kay Griggsby for the District of Maryland prohibits the defendants from filling certain “red flag” prescriptions and requires the defendants to fill other prescriptions only with documentation justifying those prescriptions. DEA Special Agent Thomas W. Adams of the Washington Division’s Hagerstown Resident Office investigated the case along with the Washington Division’s Baltimore Diversion Group. Senior Litigation Counsel Donald R. Lorenzen of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan C. Lazerow for the District of Maryland handled the case. Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch . The claims made in the complaint are merely allegations that the United States would need to prove if the case proceeded to trial.