title: Texans Guilty of Operating Major Drug Trafficking Enterprise

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas – Three Texas men have pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today. Nekia Euron Byrd, 48, of Houston; Rodney Ignacio Castro, 41, of Houston; and Terance Babe Green, 43, of Beaumont each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christine L. Stetson. According to information presented in court, Byrd, Castro and Green were responsible for trafficking cocaine throughout the Houston-area, and into various locations throughout eastern Texas, including Texarkana, Lufkin and Port Arthur. Specifically, Green controlled a cocaine distribution network in Port Arthur, responsible for importing several kilograms of cocaine each month, for distribution and conversion to cocaine-base. Byrd was responsible for owning two residences in Houston, where narcotics distribution in methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana and promethazine occurred. These residences were responsible for providing wholesale distribution of narcotics to mid-level dealers throughout the Houston-area and eastern Texas. Castro served as a source-of-supply for cocaine for Byrd’s operation, and several other mid-level dealers servicing Houston and eastern Texas. On Sep. 28, 2021, a search warrant was served at Castro’s residence resulting in the seizure of $1,050,860.00 in U.S. Currency, and assorted jewelry worth roughly $250,000.00. Estimates based upon seizures and wiretaps indicate Castro was responsible for trafficking over 100 kilograms of cocaine in the course of this conspiracy. The defendants each face from 10 years to life in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Anderson. ###


title: Atlantic, Iowa Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Federal Prison for Meth Distribution Offense

component: USAO - Iowa, Southern

body_text: COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – On August 11, 2023, an Atlantic man was sentenced to 156 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to public court documents, law enforcement completed several controlled buys from Edward Allen Davenport, 54, in May, June, and August 2022 involving pure methamphetamine. In August 2022, a search warrant was executed at Davenport’s Atlantic residence. Law enforcement seized additional pure methamphetamine, a scale, pipes, syringes, and bags with residue from Davenport’s residence. Upon completion of his prison sentence, Davenport must serve a four-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Atlantic Police Department, Cass County Sheriff’s Office, and Division of Narcotic Enforcement investigated the case.


title: Cherokee County Resident Pleads Guilty To Federal Firearm Charge

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

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Ralph Gene Carloss, age 71, of Welling, Oklahoma entered a guilty plea to Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition. The Indictment alleged that on April 11, 2023, Carloss was in possession of a 7.62x39 mm Norinco SKS rifle and 16 rounds of ammunition, which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce. At the time of the offense, Carloss had been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and knew of such conviction. The charges arose from an investigation by the Adair County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The Honorable Judge D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea in Muskogee, Oklahoma, and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Assistant United States Attorney T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.


title: Two Nigerian Men Extradited To The United States After Being Indicted For International Sexual Extortion Ring

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: Initial appearance Monday, defendants previously indicted for causing death of Marquette teen MARQUETTE, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Samuel Ogoshi, 22, and Samson Ogoshi, 20, of Lagos, Nigeria, have been extradited to the United States from Nigeria to face prosecution after being indicted in May 2023 , for sexually extorting numerous young men and teenage boys in the Western District of Michigan and across the United States. Samuel Ogoshi was also charged with causing the death of 17-year-old Jordan DeMay, of Marquette, Michigan, who was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in March 2022. “Sextortion is a horrible crime,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten . “To those who commit these crimes: we will pursue you around the world. And to those who are victims: please know we stand ready to help you.” U.S. Attorney Totten continued: “I am extremely pleased with how swiftly extradition efforts moved forward and am grateful to the FBI and our Nigerian law enforcement partners for their unyielding work to secure justice in this international sexual exploitation investigation.” “Financial sextortion is a global crisis that impacts teens in our country and around the world,” said Devin J. Kowalski, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan . “As this case demonstrates, the FBI is committed to working closely with our domestic and international law enforcement partners to prevent young men and women from becoming victims of this tragic crime.” It’s anticipated that the extradited defendants’ initial appearance will take place Monday afternoon at the federal courthouse in Grand Rapids at a time to be determined by the court. Nigerian authorities arrested Samuel and Samson Ogoshi in Nigeria in January 2023, at the request of the United States. Nigerian prosecutors managed the extradition proceedings, on behalf of the United States. On July 20, the Honorable Justice B.F.M. Nyako ordered both Ogoshis to be turned over to the United States to face the charges in the indictment. On August 3, B.E. Jedy Agba, the Solicitor-General of the Nigerian Federation, signed the final surrender order, authorizing the United States to bring the Ogoshis to West Michigan. Overview of Federal Charges Click here for a copy of the May 2023 indictment In May 2023, Samuel Ogoshi and Samson Ogoshi were charged in a four-count indictment: Count 1 charges Samuel Ogoshi with Sexual Exploitation and Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Minor Resulting in Death in association with the death of Jordan DeMay. The charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison and a statutory mandatory minimum of 30 years in prison. Count 2 charges both men with Conspiracy to Sexually Exploit Minors by causing the minors to produce child pornographic images that the defendants then used to blackmail the minors. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison. Count 3 charges both men with Conspiracy to Distribute Child Pornography for sending the child pornography images to the minors, as well as their families and friends. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison. Count 4 charges both men with Conspiracy to Commit Stalking Through the Internet for engaging in this sextortion scheme as it relates to both minors and young adults. The charge has a maximum penalty of five years in prison. All charges have provisions for fines, restitution, and supervised release after their release from prison. The grand jury alleges that the defendants bought hacked social media accounts and used the accounts to pose as young women to lure teenage and young adult males into sexual chats. One of the accounts used was an Instagram account bearing the username “dani.robertts”, which communicated with Jordan DeMay shortly before his death. After initiating chat conversations with the victims, the defendants simultaneously used Google and other online applications to research information about the victims, including where the victims lived, where they went to school or worked, and who their family and friends were. The grand jury alleges that the defendants then solicited their victims to produce and send sexually explicit images of themselves. Once the defendants received sexually explicit images, they created collages that included the sexually explicit image alongside other images of the victims from social media, including images of the victims’ school, family, and friends. The defendants then threatened to disclose the collages to others, including the family, friends, and classmates, of their victims via social media unless the victims paid money. The grand jury alleges the defendants engaged in this extortion and attempted extortion of more than 100 people. The extradition of the third defendant, Ezekial Ejehem Robert, is still pending. Coordination with Nigerian Law Enforcement Earlier this year, agents from FBI Michigan travelled to Nigeria to conduct a cooperative investigation with Nigerian law enforcement officials. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs (OIA), worked with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to prepare a request for provisional arrest, with a view toward extradition, of Samuel Ogoshi, Samson Ogoshi and Ezekiel Robert. OIA, together with the U.S. Department of State, transmitted the request to Nigeria. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), a Nigerian law enforcement agency, arrested the Ogoshis and Robert. OIA and the U.S. Embassy in Abuja, Nigeria, coordinated with the Central Authority Unit, International Cooperation Department of the Nigerian Office of the Attorney General - Ministry of Justice during their extradition proceedings. Additionally, the FBI referred information to the EFCC regarding three additional Nigerian males involved in this same sextortion ring. These individuals were arrested by the EFCC on domestic Nigerian changes based on the information that was shared. The EFCC is one of Nigeria’s national investigative agencies and is responsible for the investigation of all financial crimes, including extortion, fraud, money laundering, and corruption. The cooperation and assistance of the EFCC was essential in apprehending the defendants. U.S. Attorney Totten and Acting SAC Kowalski extends their appreciation and thanks to the EFCC, the Nigerian Attorney General’s Office – Ministry of Justice, and all other involved Nigerian authorities for their important partnership in this case. Specifically, U.S. Attorney Totten and SAC Kowalski thanked the following Nigerian partners and institutions for their assistance with this case: Acting Executive Chairman Abdulkarim Chukkol, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission; Assistant Director Antoinette Oche-Obe, Central Authority Unit, International Cooperation Department, Office of the Attorney General - Ministry of Justice; Principal State Counsel Pius Akutah, Central Authority Unit, International Cooperation Department, Office of the Attorney General - Ministry of Justice; Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Justice, Nigeria’s EFCC; and the Central Authority Unit, International Cooperation Department of the Nigerian Office of the Attorney General – Ministry of Justice. Law Enforcement Coordination This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, county prosecutor's offices, the Internet Crimes Against Children task force (ICAC), federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement are working closely together to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children. The partners in Project Safe Childhood work to educate local communities about the dangers of online child exploitation, and to teach children how to protect themselves. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit the following website: www.projectsafechildhood.gov . Individuals with information or concerns about possible child exploitation should contact local law enforcement officials. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Mekaru and Davin Reust, and investigated by the FBI, the Marquette Sheriff’s Department, and the Michigan State Police Cybercrimes Unit in Marquette with the cooperation and assistance of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission of Nigeria. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the U.S. Department of State provided critical assistance in seeking the extradition of the defendants. The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. # # # MEDIA NOTE: U.S. Attorney Totten addressed these latest developments during Sunday’s press conference and the office will not offer further comment after Monday’s hearing.


title: Driver in Large South Texas Human Smuggling Case Sentenced in Del Rio to 35 Years in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: DEL RIO, Texas – An Ohio man was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio Thursday to 420 months in prison for illegal alien transportation resulting in death. According to court documents, Sebastian Tovar, 27, of Toledo, was driving a Dodge Ram near Del Rio on March 15, 2021, when a Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) trooper attempted to stop the vehicle. Tovar tried to evade law enforcement but crashed into oncoming traffic. Eight undocumented noncitizen passengers in Tovar’s truck died in the crash, while one more was seriously injured. Additionally, two U.S. citizens were seriously injured in the head-on collision when Tovar struck their vehicle. Following the crash, U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) agents encountered a Ford F-150 stopped in traffic near the crash site. The agents directed the driver of the Ford, to turn around and subsequently all its occupants fled on foot into nearby brush. USBP agents were able to locate 12 undocumented noncitizens who bolted from the Ford. After interviewing two of the undocumented noncitizens, USBP agents determined that the occupants of the Dodge and Ford were part of a human smuggling operation that was illegally transporting 20 undocumented noncitizens in the U.S. Codefendant Ruben Junior Rodriguez-Jaimes, 20, of Bastrop was sentenced last week to 180 months in prison. Rodriguez-Jaimes was arrested on April 7, 2021, in the brush near Eagle Pass, when he was acting as the foot guide for four undocumented noncitizens. Since December 2020, Rodriguez-Jaimes had successfully smuggled 38 migrants into the U.S. In addition to their imprisonment, Tovar and Rodriguez-Jaimes were each ordered to pay a portion of restitution totaling the amount of $164,701.80. “The defendants in this case displayed a complete disregard for human life, not only of the migrants they were smuggling, but also of the innocent civilians on the road the day of this incident,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “This is but one example of the danger these human smuggling organizations pose to our communities and especially to the migrants they smuggle. We are grateful for the tremendous effort and cooperation of our law enforcement partners at the federal, state and local levels and for their diligence in working to identify all of those whose conduct led to this tragedy.” “These sentences underscore Homeland Security Investigations’ relentless efforts to identify transnational criminal organizations, which make a profit from smuggling migrants into the United States with total disregard for people who may end up paying the ultimate price,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee for the HSI San Antonio Division. “HSI is committed to ensuring that those who prey on the innocent face justice.” Five additional defendants pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of illegal alien transportation resulting in death: Lauren Michelle Malmquist, aka “Mama” and “Lala,” 34, of Cedar Park; Nicolas Mondragon-Gonzalez, aka “Chayo” and “Flaco,” 35, of Luvianos, Mexico; Veronica Torres-Mendez, 36, of San Antonio; Jennifer Oralia Davis, aka “Paypa,” 41, of San Antonio; and Eduardo Rivera Benitez, aka “Lalo” and “Casper,” 25, of Bastrop. They each face a maximum penalty of life in prison. The remaining three defendants pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to transport aliens: Marco Antonio Hernandez, aka “Temo,” 21, of Paige; Jose Eli Rodriguez, 22, of Austin; and Rogelio Manuel Luna, 34, of Austin. They each face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. HSI, USBP and DPS investigated the case with valuable assistance from the Travis County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Banister prosecuted the case. ###


title: Orange County Felon Convicted of Kidnapping at Gunpoint Girlfriend from a Port St. Lucie Group Home

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – A federal jury has convicted Marques Deon Jones, 41, of Orange County, of kidnapping, and two felon in possession of a firearm charges, after a three-day trial before U.S. District Court Senior Judge James I. Cohn, sitting in Fort Pierce. On August 14, 2022, Jones pistol-whipped his girlfriend, an employee of a Port St. Lucie group home located near SE Walton Road and forced her to leave with him in her vehicle. A group home supervisor, who witnessed the kidnapping, notified Port St. Lucie Police Department, who was able to identify Jones. The following day the U.S. Marshals Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force located Jones outside a private residence in Fort Pierce and arrested him. During the trial, witnesses testified that as task force officers approached Jones, he retrieved a firearm from a parked car and attempted to flee. The jury watched footage from a body worn camera showing Jones admitting that he retrieved the firearm because he wanted officers to shoot and kill him. Jones is scheduled for sentencing on October 2 before U.S. District Court Senior Judge Cohn. He faces a possible maximum sentence of life in prison. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, and U.S. Marshal Gadyaces S. Serralta of the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), made the announcement. ATF Fort Pierce Field Office and USMS investigated the case, with assistance from the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office, Port St. Lucie Police Department, and the Fort Pierce Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Breezye Telfair and Justin Hoover are prosecuting the case. 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-14069. ###


title: Appointment of a Special Counsel

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced today the appointment of U.S. Attorney David Weiss to serve as Special Counsel for the ongoing investigation and prosecutions referenced and described in United States v. Robert Hunter Biden , as well as for any other matters that arose or may arise from that investigation. Mr. Weiss was nominated by the former president in 2017 and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 2018. In 2021, he was asked to remain as U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, where he led this ongoing investigation. On Tuesday, Aug. 8, Mr. Weiss requested to be appointed as Special Counsel, and today the Attorney General made that appointment. “On Tuesday of this week, Mr. Weiss advised me that in his judgment, his investigation has reached a stage at which he should continue his work as a Special Counsel, and he asked to be so appointed,” said Attorney General Garland. “Upon considering his request, as well as the extraordinary circumstances relating to this matter, I have concluded it is in the public interest to appoint him as Special Counsel. This appointment confirms my commitment to provide Mr. Weiss all the resources he requests. It also reaffirms that Mr. Weiss has the authority he needs to conduct a thorough investigation and to continue to take the steps he deems appropriate independently, based only on the facts and the law.” The Attorney General also said, “As Special Counsel, he will continue to have the authority and responsibility that he has exercised previously to oversee the investigation and decide where, when, and whether to file charges. The Special Counsel will not be subject to the day-to-day supervision of any official of the Department, but he must comply with the regulations, procedures, and policies of the Department … Today’s announcement affords the prosecutors, agents, and analysts working on this matter the ability to proceed with their work expeditiously, and to make decisions indisputably guided only by the facts and the law … I am confident that Mr. Weiss will carry out his responsibility in an even-handed and urgent matter, and in accordance with the highest traditions of this Department.” Appointment Order of David Weiss


title: Nurse Practitioner Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Drug Distribution

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Danielle Simonson, age 51, of Fort Ann, New York, pled guilty today to distributing controlled substances outside the course of professional practice and for no legitimate medical purpose. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division; and Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Office of Investigations. Simonson admitted that from at least January 2020 through October 2022, she unlawfully prescribed controlled substances to a total of 54 patients. These included prescriptions for the opioids hydrocodone and oxycodone, benzodiazepines (clonazepam, diazepam, and lorazepam), and amphetamine (e.g. Adderall). For instance, Simonson admitted that she issued a total of 63 oxycodone prescriptions to two residents of Suffolk County, New York, without treating either of them for a medical condition. The Suffolk County residents usually paid Simonson by mailing her packages of cash. In the civil settlement agreement, Simonson admitted that she improperly prescribed controlled substances to 105 patients (including the 54 listed in her criminal plea agreement), often without ever examining patients and maintaining medical records justifying her decision to prescribe controlled substances. Simonson agreed to pay $200,000 to settle claims that the United States could have brought against her pursuant to the Controlled Substances Act. In the criminal case, sentencing is scheduled for December 15, 2023 before United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci. Simonson faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million, as well as up to 3 years of post-imprisonment supervised release. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. Simonson’s plea agreement requires that she immediately surrender her nurse practitioner and nursing licenses to the State of New York. On December 8, 2022, Simonson surrendered her DEA registration (which had allowed her to prescribe controlled substances). The DEA and HHS-OIG investigated the criminal case, with assistance from the New York State Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett is prosecuting the criminal case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Moran represented the United States in the civil matter.


title: Southern California Resident Indicted for Trafficking 150,000 Fentanyl Pills

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment Thursday against Pantalion Lopez-Zavala, 30, of Hesperia, charging him with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, on July 12, 2023, Lopez-Zavala traveled from Southern California to the Central Valley to deliver 150,000 fentanyl pills to a buyer, who was in fact an undercover officer. The undercover officer negotiated the deal with two individuals who used Mexican telephone numbers. One of those individuals connected the undercover officer with Lopez-Zavala for completion of the deal. Lopez-Zavala arrived at the meeting with the fentanyl pills and was arrested shortly after delivering them. This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Lopez-Zavala faces a maximum statutory penalty of up to 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.


title: Violent Career Criminal Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Stolen Handgun

component: USAO - Indiana, Southern

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Kyree Bryce Harris, 25, of Indianapolis, Indiana, has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after being found guilty of illegally possessing a firearm as an armed career criminal following a 2-day jury trial in May 2023. According to court documents and evidence introduced at trial, on the morning of June 17, 2022, IMPD officers were called to Ethel Avenue in Indianapolis, Indiana on a report of a suspicious vehicle parked in front of the Twenty Fifth Street Baptist church all night. When officers arrived, they encountered Harris asleep in the vehicle with a handgun tucked next to his leg, between the driver’s seat and center console. The gun had previously been reported stolen. On scene and at trial, Harris admitted he carried the gun for protection. Because Harris was a convicted felon, federal law prohibited him from possessing firearms. His felony convictions stemmed from a string of six armed robberies of Indianapolis-area convenience stores and Family Dollar stores that he committed in January 2017, for which he was also convicted federally. U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers, Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Columbus Field Division, and Randal Taylor, Chief of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department made the announcement. “Armed career criminals like this defendant fuel the gun violence plaguing too many of our neighborhoods,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers. “Six prior convictions for armed robbery were not enough to disarm this criminal, but the serious sentence imposed here will protect the public from the danger he poses. I commend the officers who intervened and helped ensure that this defendant was held accountable for his actions.” This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge, Sarah Evans Barker. Judge Barker also ordered that Harris be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 5 years following his release from federal prison and be subject to a $200 fine. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeremy C. Fugate and Michelle P. Brady, who prosecuted this case. ###


title: Kern County Man Indicted for Assaulting a Postal Carrier

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one count indictment Thursday against Marco Pergis, 41, of Wasco, charging him with assault on a federal employee inflicting bodily injury, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, on June 21, 2023, Pergis assaulted a postal carrier while the carrier was delivering mail in Wasco. Pergis approached the postal carrier, struck the carrier in the face, and caused injury requiring medical attention. The case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Kern County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katrina Brownson is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Pergis faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which consider several variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Sudbury Man Sentenced to more than Five Years in Prison for Child Pornography Offenses

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Sudbury man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for child pornography charges. Tyson Tu, 51, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 65 months in prison and five years of supervised release. In May 2023, Tu pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. In May 2020, Tu was identified as the subscriber of an IP address downloading child pornography from a peer-to-peer file sharing network. During an April 2021 search of Tu’s residence, multiple electronic devices were seized – one of which was actively downloading and sharing child pornographic files at the time. Three of the seized devices were found to contain approximately 1,000 child pornographic images and approximately 95 child pornographic videos, which Lu downloaded between approximately February through April 2021. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Sudbury Police Chief Scott Nix made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Bloomington Woman Sentenced to Nearly 5.5 Years in Federal Prison for $5.5 Million International COVID Fraud Scheme

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Oluwatobi Seton, 28, of Bloomington, Indiana, has been sentenced to nearly 5.5 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. According to court documents, Seton conspired with partners in Nigeria to obtain unemployment and other benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic from state and federal governments by falsely applying for such benefits using the stolen identities of others. Seton and her co-conspirators obtained personal identifiable information of their victims, which they used to open GoBank accounts and obtain debit cards. The conspirators then submitted false and fraudulent employment applications to unemployment agencies throughout the United States in the victims’ names and had the stolen benefits monies deposited into their fraudulent GoBank accounts and onto debit cards. Seton then used fake driver’s licenses in the victims’ names to access the proceeds of the fraud scheme. At the time of her arrest, Seton had over 1,400 GoBank cards and ten driver’s licenses with different names in her possession. In total, the conspiracy resulted in at least $5,475,459.00 in actual and attempted losses to state unemployment offices and other state and federal agencies: Seton kept a portion of the proceeds for herself and sent the remainder to her conspirators, including her business partners in Nigeria. Investigators seized over $550,000 in cash and GoBank accounts linked to the scheme during the investigation. “This international criminal enterprise conspired to steal millions of dollars meant to help our citizens as we fought through the unprecedented pandemic,” said United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers. “Fraudsters like this defendant who sought to exploit the urgent need to provide pandemic relief must be held accountable. I commend the work of our partners at the FBI, Bloomington Police Department, and Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, along with our federal prosecutors, to identify criminals like this defendant and ensure that they pay the price for their crimes.” “Profiting from programs meant to help those in need is a despicable and unacceptable crime in and of itself. But this defendant took it a step further and stole identities to perpetrate this fraud and caused those victims immeasurable time in an effort to clear their names,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “The FBI and our local law enforcement partners will continue to identify and aggressively pursue those who commit fraud and ensure they are held accountable for their actions.” The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bloomington Police Department, and Monroe County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Chief Judge, Tanya Walton Pratt. Judge Pratt also ordered that Seton be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 1 year following her release from federal prison and pay restitution in the amount of $4,309,027.00. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney MaryAnn T. Mindrum, who prosecuted this case. 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 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 ###


title: Man Charged with Making Threat to Michigan Election Worker

component: Criminal Division

body_text: An Indiana man will make his initial appearance at the federal district court in Detroit today for allegedly sending a threatening communication to an election worker in Michigan. According to court documents, on or about Nov. 10, 2020, Andrew Nickels, 37, of Carmel, allegedly called the victim, who was the clerk of a local municipality, and left a voicemail in which Nickels stated, in part, “We’re watching your…mouth talk about how you think that there’s no irregularities…[Y]ou frauded out America of a real election…Guess what, you’re gonna pay for it, you will pay for it...[T]en million plus patriots will surround you when you least expect it, and your little infantile Deep State security agency has no time to protect you because they’ll be bought out and we’ll [expletive] kill you…[Y]ou will [expletive] pay for your [expletive] lying ass remarks…We will [expletive] take you out. [Expletive] your family, [expletive] your life, and you deserve a [expletive] throat to the knife…Watch your [expletive] back…watch your [expletive] back.” Nickels is charged with one count of making a threatening interstate communication. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Devin Kowalski of the FBI Detroit Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Detroit Field Office is investigating the case. Trial Attorney Tanya Senanayake of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Frances Lee Carlson for the Eastern District of Michigan are prosecuting the case. This case is part of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force. Announced by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and launched by Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco in June 2021, the task force has led the Department’s efforts to address threats of violence against election workers, and to ensure that all election workers – whether elected, appointed, or volunteer – are able to do their jobs free from threats and intimidation. The task force engages with the election community and state and local law enforcement to assess allegations and reports of threats against election workers, and has investigated and prosecuted these matters where appropriate, in partnership with FBI Field Offices and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. A year after its formation, the task force is continuing this work and supporting the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and FBI Field Offices nationwide as they carry on the critical work that the Task Force has begun. Under the leadership of Deputy Attorney General Monaco, the Task Force is led by the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and includes several other entities within the Justice Department, including the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section of the Criminal Division, the Civil Rights Division, the National Security Division, and the FBI, as well as key interagency partners, such as the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. For more information regarding the Justice Department’s efforts to combat threats against election workers, read the Deputy Attorney General’s memo. To report suspected threats or violent acts, contact your local FBI office and request to speak with the Election Crimes Coordinator. Contact information for every FBI field office may be found here: www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/ . You may also contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or file an online complaint at www.tips.fbi.gov . Complaints submitted will be reviewed by the task force and referred for investigation or response accordingly. If someone is in imminent danger or risk of harm, contact 911 or your local police immediately. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Felon Who Threatened Girlfriend With a Gun Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who possessed a firearm as a felon was sentenced yesterday to 96 months in federal prison. Nethaniah Gordon, age 28, received the prison term after a March 16, 2023, guilty plea to one count of possessing a firearm as a felon. During a domestic dispute, Gordon, who was convicted on January 13, 2014, of a controlled substance violation, possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, and prohibited from possessing firearms, struck his girlfriend in the face and head multiple times, verbally threatened her, and pointed a gun at different parts of her body. Gordon has a history of domestic abuse. Gordon was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Gordon was sentenced to 96 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Gordon is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth Dupuich and Special Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the Independence Police Department. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). 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. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-CR-2006. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Syracuse Man Sentenced to Serve 157 Months for Possessing Fentanyl for Distribution and for Possessing Firearms in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Tramond G. Wallace, Jr., age 28, of Syracuse, was sentenced today to serve 157 months’ imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)-New York Division, and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) made the announcement. In his earlier guilty plea, Wallace admitted that at his apartment in the Town of DeWitt, he possessed a parcel containing 1,024 grams of pills containing fentanyl, which had been mailed through the U.S. Postal Service. Wallace admitted that he intended to distribute these pills, and other quantities of fentanyl that he possessed in his apartment, to others. Wallace further admitted that in the same apartment, he possessed two Glock .40 caliber pistols, one with an extended magazine inserted, which he possessed in furtherance of his drug-trafficking. Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes also ordered that Wallace serve a 4-year term of supervised release following his release from prison. DEA and USPIS investigated the case, with assistance from the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), the Syracuse Police Department, the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, and the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. McCrobie prosecuted the case.


title: Mississippi Man Charged with Attempted Receipt of Materials  Involving the Sexual Exploitation of Minors and Transfer  of Obscene Material to a Minor

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – AVERY FREEL (“FREEL”) , age 21, of Ocean Springs, MS, was charged on August 10, 2023 in a two-count indictment for Receipt of Materials Involving the Sexual Exploitation of Minors in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252(a)(4)(B) and (b)(2) and Transfer of Obscene Material to a Minor in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1470, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. If convicted of Attempted Receipt of Materials Involving the Sexual Exploitation of Minors, FREEL faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five (5) years up to a maximum of twenty (20) years imprisonment, and/or a fine of up to $250,000.00, or the greater of twice the gross gain to the defendant or twice the gross loss to any person of the offense under Title 18, United States Code, Section 3571. If convicted of Transfer of Obscene Material to a Minor, FREEL faces a maximum sentence of ten (10) years imprisonment, and/or a fine of up to $250,000.00, or the greater of twice the gross gain to the defendant or twice the gross loss to any person of the offense under Title 18, United States Code, Section 3571. In addition, FREEL faces a term of supervised release of no less than five (5) years and up to life after his release from prison, as well as a mandatory special assessment fee of $100 per count. U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. 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 Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the Hammond Police Department, and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigations with this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit.


title: Administrator of ‘Bulletproof’ Webhosting Domain Charged in Connection with Facilitation of NetWalker Ransomware

body_text: An indictment was unsealed yesterday in Tampa, Florida, charging a Polish national with computer fraud conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, and international money laundering in connection with the provision of “bulletproof” webhosting services that facilitated the operation of ransomware attacks and the subsequent laundering of the illicit proceeds. According to court documents, Artur Karol Grabowski, 36, operated a webhosting company named LolekHosted. Through LolekHosted, Grabowski provided “bulletproof” webhosting services, which is secure webhosting designed to facilitate malicious and criminal activities, including ransomware, brute-force attacks, and phishing. Grabowski allegedly facilitated the criminal activities of LolekHosted clients by allowing clients to register accounts using false information, not maintaining Internet Protocol (IP) address logs of client servers, frequently changing the IP addresses of client servers, ignoring abuse complaints made by third parties against clients, and notifying clients of legal inquiries received from law enforcement. Grabowski registered the domain “LolekHosted.net” in 2014, and advertised that its services were “bulletproof,” provided “100% privacy hosting,” and allowed clients to host “everything except child porn.” The NetWalker ransomware was one of the ransomware variants facilitated by LolekHosted. The NetWalker ransomware was deployed on approximately 400 victim company networks, including municipalities, hospitals, law enforcement and emergency services, school districts, colleges, and universities, which resulted in the payment of more than 5,000 bitcoin in ransoms (currently valued at approximately $146 million). LolekHosted clients used its services to execute approximately 50 NetWalker ransomware attacks on victims located all over the world, including in the Middle District of Florida. Specifically, clients used the servers of LolekHosted as intermediaries when gaining unauthorized access to victim networks, and to store hacking tools and data stolen from victims. On Aug. 8, U.S. authorities seized LolekHosted.net, the domain name LolekHosted used for nearly a decade. Visitors to LolekHosted.net will now find a seizure banner that notifies them that the domain name has been seized by federal authorities. The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida issued the seizure warrant. If convicted on all counts, Grabowski faces a maximum penalty of 45 years in prison. The indictment also notifies Grabowski that the United States is seeking an order of forfeiture in the amount of $21.5 million, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct. Grabowski remains a fugitive. Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement. The FBI Tampa Field Office is investigating the case, with assistance from the IRS Criminal Investigation Cyber Crimes Unit. Trial Attorney Sonia V. Jimenez of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carlton C. Gammons and Suzanne Nebesky for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case. Substantial assistance was provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the FBI’s Legal Attaché Office in Warsaw, Poland. Polish authorities also provided substantial 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: Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry of Deported Alien

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – ENRIQUE MORALES-RODELO , age 27, a citizen of Mexico, pleaded guilty on August 3, 3023, to illegal reentry of a deported alien in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to court documents, MORALES-RODELO was encountered in the United States on or about January 10, 2023, after having been previously deported on or about July 4, 2019. At sentencing, MORALES-RODELO faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten years, a maximum fine of $250,000, a maximum term of supervised release of three years, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier set sentencing for November 9, 2023. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Spiro G. Latsis and Troy Bell of the General Crimes Unit are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Saint Bernard Parish Man Indicted for Violations of the  Federal Controlled Substances Act

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Yesterday, a federal grand jury in New Orleans, Louisiana returned a two-count indictment charging a man for violations of the Federal Controlled Substances Act, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to court documents, ROBERT C. METZLER , age 59, is charged in Count 1 with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute carisoprodol, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846. In Count 2, METZLER is charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, oxycodone, and marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 841(b)(1)(C). If convicted of Count 1, METZLER faces up to 20 years imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, at least 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. If convicted of Count 2, METZLER faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years and up to 40 years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, at least 4 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charging document and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Postal Inspectors Office, and the Saint Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Albert Lea Woman Sentenced to Prison for Embezzling Over $200,000  in Public Housing Rent Payments

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – An Albert Lea woman has been sentenced to a year and one day in prison, three years of supervised release, and is required to pay $213,217 in restitution for stealing public housing rent payments, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, between January 2010 and July 18, 2018, Marcie Marie Thumann, 45, worked as a bookkeeper for the Albert Lea Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA), a government program that received both federal and state funding to remedy the shortage of available low-incoming housing units. Thumann, who was responsible for recording and reconciling payments to the HRA, received tenants’ rent payments via cash, check, or money order. During her tenure as the HRA’s bookkeeper, Thumann routinely embezzled HRA rent payments for her own personal use and benefit. She did so by pocketing cash payments and altering the payee information on payments made by check and money order. Thumann then manipulated the HRA’s computer system to conceal the money she stole, avoid detection, and prolong her fraud scheme. In total, Thumann stole at least $213,217 from the Albert Lea HRA. Thumann pleaded guilty on October 12, 2022, to one count of theft from a program receiving federal funds. She was sentenced on August 9, 2023, before Senior Judge David S. Doty in U.S. District Court. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of the Inspector General and the Albert Lea Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan L. Sing prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Secord and Paralegal Specialist Jessica Scott handled the seizure and forfeiture of assets.


title: Five Charged for Conspiring to Stage Automobile Accidents

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that ANTOINE CLARK (“ CLARK ”), age 33, of New Orleans, Louisiana; DIMITRI FRAZIER (“ FRAZIER ”), age 31, of Westwego, Louisiana; SHIRLEY HARRIS (“ HARRIS ”), age 38, of New Orleans, Louisiana; ADONTE TURNER (“ A. TURNER ”), age 25, of New Orleans, Louisiana; and TIFFANY TURNER (“ T. TURNER ”), age 52, of New Orleans, Louisiana were indicted on August 10, 2023. The indictment charges these defendants with intentionally staging automobile accidents with tractor-trailers in New Orleans to defraud trucking and insurance companies . According to the indictment, defendants CLARK and HARRIS intentionally collided with a tractor-trailer on April 24, 2017, in the area of Interstate 10 near the Crowder Boulevard exit in New Orleans. The indictment also alleges that, on November 13, 2017, FRAZIER , A. TURNER , and T. TURNER intentionally struck a tractor-trailer in the area of Interstate 10 near Paris Road in New Orleans. CLARK , HARRIS , FRAZIER , A. TURNER , and T. TURNER made false police reports, filed fraudulent lawsuits, lied during deposition testimony, and sought unnecessary medical treatment in furtherance of their fraudulent claims. These defendants were all charged with one (1) count of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. CLARK and HARRIS were also charged with two (2) counts of Wire Fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of five (5) years for the conspiracy count and twenty (20) years as to the Wire Fraud counts. Upon their release from prison, each defendant can be placed on a term of supervised release for up to five (5) years and fined up to $250,000.00 per count. A $100 mandatory special assessment fee per count is also applicable. U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. The U.S. Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Louisiana State Police, and the Metropolitan Crime Commission with this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys’ Maria Carboni, Brandon Long, and Edward Rivera, all of the Financial Crimes Unit and, Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Supervisor of the Financial Crimes Unit.


title: Lakeland Check Casher Sentenced For Role In Construction-Related Fraud Conspiracy

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Raju Gandhi (60, Lakeland) to 18 months in federal prison for conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Department of the Treasury, to commit wire fraud, and to submit false statements and reports to the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The court also entered an order of forfeiture for more than $3.6 million, the estimated proceeds of this multi-pronged fraud conspiracy. Gandhi had pleaded guilty on September 23, 2021. According to court documents, Gandhi owned and operated a money service and check cashing business in Polk County. Gandhi cashed large numbers of checks made payable to a number of shell construction companies which purported to supply construction services and labor for construction contractors and subcontractors. In order to comply with Florida law, these shell construction companies were required to secure and maintain adequate worker’s compensation insurance coverage. These shell companies had agreements with contractors and subcontractors to use workers purported to be their employees at construction sites, but these workers were often undocumented aliens who were actually working for and under the daily supervision and direction of the contractors themselves. These shell construction companies regularly received “payroll checks” from the contractors that were cashed at various financial institutions to pay the purported “employees” of these shell construction companies. During the time period charged, the owners of these shell construction companies falsely and fraudulently represented in insurance applications that their companies had a very limited payroll and a limited number of employees who worked on construction jobsites. They also falsely and fraudulently sent wire communications to numerous contractors representing that their companies’ employees had full worker’s compensation coverage. In reality, these shell construction companies provided no real labor force at all but received and cashed more than $147 million at and through Gandhi’s check cashing business in Lakeland. Gandhi was aware of this scheme and hid his activity by falsely under-reporting to the Department of Treasury the fees that he had collected for cashing those contractor checks. These checks were made payable to the shell construction companies from various construction contractors who, in fact, actually supplied the labor force for the jobs. As a result, these employees, performed work on jobsites without adequate insurance coverage. In addition, the worker’s compensation insurance companies lost the higher premiums they could have charged had they been aware of the true number of workers their policies were thus being manipulated to cover. Due to these misrepresentations, the shell construction company owners disclaimed responsibility for ensuring that jobsite workers were legally authorized to work in the United States and for paying the required state and federal payroll taxes on these workers’ wages. The contractors who actually paid these workers’ wages and used their services were thus also able to avoid responsibility for paying those taxes as well. “Money Service Businesses are a critical component to the nation’s financial system particularly amongst the unbanked and underbanked population, MSB owners and operators have a responsibility to the community to provide fair and transparent services to their customers” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Assistant Special Agent in Charge John Dumas. “HSI, alongside our state, local, and federal law enforcement partners will aggressively investigate and support the successful prosecution of those who operate outside of, or turn a blind eye to the law for their own personal enrichment.” This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the State of Florida Department of Financial Services. It is part of a broader investigation by those agencies into the use of shell companies and “ghost” employees in the construction industry. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.


title: Three Arrested for Sex Trafficking Five Victims

body_text: BOSTON – Three individuals have been arrested and charged with sex trafficking and the interstate transportation of five separate victims for the purposes of prostitution. Jermall Anderson, 43, of Tewksbury, was charged with five counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion and one count of coercion and enticement. Jennifer Fortier, 49, of New Haven, Conn., was charged with two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion and one count of knowingly transporting any individual in interstate or foreign commerce, with intent that such individual engage in prostitution. Latasha Anderson, 37, of Lynn, was charged with two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion. The defendants were arrested on Aug. 9, 2023. Following a hearing yesterday, Jermall Anderson was detained pending a final detention determination, and Latasha Anderson was released under conditions. Fortier will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date. “This case is yet another manifestation of the opioid crisis plaguing our communities,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Here these defendants are alleged to have exploited women’s addiction, lack of housing and economic stability to coerce them into the sex trafficking trade. Opioids and sex trafficking go hand in hand – and so does the destruction and trauma they inflict on our communities. This office and our law enforcement partners will spare no resource to ensure that harmful, exploitative traffickers are removed from our streets and held accountable.” “These three are alleged to have specifically targeted vulnerable female victims — women going through substance abuse rehabilitation or facing homelessness. Human traffickers often seek out victims in unstable situations, using force, fraud and coercion to control their every move, making them feel that they are solely reliant on the trafficker,” said Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “Bringing those who prey on the vulnerable to justice is one of our core missions at HSI, but our work to support and seek care for those victimized is of equal importance.” According to the charging documents, from 2012 through 2016, the defendants used physical violence, threats and the giving and withholding of heroin and cocaine to force five different victims to prostitute on their behalf. The defendants allegedly targeted vulnerable victims, specifically those struggling from drug addiction, homelessness and lack of economic resources and coerced them into providing commercial sex for the defendants’ benefit. The defendants are alleged to have trafficked these victims all over New England and into New York and New Jersey. The charges of sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion each provide for a sentence of at least 15 years and up to life in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of coercion and enticement provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of knowingly transporting any individual in interstate or foreign commerce, with intent that such individual engage in prostitution provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274 or contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov . Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and HSI Acting SAC Krol made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the HSI Office in New Haven, Connecticut, the Lynn and Tewksbury Police Departments in Massachusetts and the Hampden, Connecticut Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen W. Hassink and Leah B. Foley of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Grand jury indicts 2 more Central Ohio men for 4 new armed robberies of Postal carriers

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – A grand jury has indicted two more Central Ohio men for crimes related to four new, separate armed robberies against U.S. Postal carriers. Cameron D. Newton, 19, of Westerville, and Thierno S. Bah, 20, of Columbus, were each charged in a superseding indictment returned on Aug. 10. Their case is the most recent of a handful of similar prosecutions in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Columbus. In August 2022, Brandon J. Campbell was sentenced to 78 months in prison for two previous armed Postal carrier robberies. Mahad S. Jama, Da’Mon D. May and Cody N. Beasley have charges pending against them for an April 2023 armed Postal robbery in Dublin. According to the superseding indictment in this case, Newton and Bah used firearms and robbed Postal carriers of their U.S. Postal Service keys on four occasions between December 2022 and May 2023. The alleged thefts occurred in Central Ohio on: Dec. 29, 2022 Jan. 3, 2023 (two separate robberies on this date) May 11, 2023 When federal agents executed a search warrant at Newton’s residence in May 2023, they discovered the USPS key that had been stolen on May 11. During that robbery, the Postal employee was pistol-whipped with a handgun. Investigators also discovered more than 100 pieces of mail, several Visa money cards in different names, a scanner and small printer with printed checks next to it, a large box containing more than 100 checks, numerous checks stuffed inside bathroom toilet bowls, and a handgun. Bah, who is also known as “Wopo” and “Wopoonese,” was arrested today. Newton was originally charged by criminal complaint in May 2023. If convicted, Newton will forfeit approximately $22,000 in proceeds from the alleged miscreant conduct. Robbery is punishable by up to 25 years in prison. Using a firearm during a crime of violence carries a penalty of at least five years and up to life in prison. Possessing a stolen Postal Service key is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Lesley Allison, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant; Westerville Police Chief Charles Chandler; and Whitehall Police Chief Mike Crispen announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Noah R. Litton is representing the United States in this case. Charging documents merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. # # #


title: Sutton Man Sentenced to over Five Years in Prison for Possessing Child Pornography

body_text: BOSTON – A Sutton man was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester for child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Oliver Smith, 48, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 66 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release. In March 2023, Smith pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. In November 2020, after receiving information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and Swedish law enforcement authorities, a search warrant was executed at Smith’s Sutton residence, and several devices were seized. A forensic review of devices seized revealed images and videos depicting CSAM found on a memory card stored in Smith’s backpack. In addition to the images saved to the memory card, Smith had access to an email account which contained images of CSAM, and in July 2019, while Smith resided in Sweden, he had emailed CSAM from his email account to a separate account he also controlled. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Sutton Police Chief Dennis J. Towle made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Noto of the Worcester Branch Office and William Clayman of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: California man pleads guilty to sexually exploiting minor, possessing child pornography after traveling to Ohio to engage in sex acts with a 14-year-old

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – A California man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Columbus today to sexually exploiting a minor and possessing child pornography. Kameron E. Tolbert, 28, of Suisin City, California, admitted to traveling from California to Ohio to engage in sex acts with a 14-year-old female he met online. According to court documents, on Aug. 22, 2022, law enforcement was dispatched to a home in Jackson, Ohio. Tolbert had jumped through the minor victim’s bedroom window when he was discovered in the bedroom with the victim. He fled on foot and then by vehicle. The next day, the principal at the victim’s local high school identified Tolbert’s vehicle in the school parking lot and notified a school resource officer who detained Tolbert at the school. Tolbert had first met the victim online six months prior and began chatting with her via different social media applications, including Discord. He admitted to flying from Sacramento, California, to Columbus, Ohio, on Aug. 20, 2022, to meet the victim at her home in Jackson. Tolbert parked nearby and snuck into the victim’s home through her bedroom window on August 21 and August 22 to engage in sexual intercourse with her. A forensic examination of Tolbert’s digital devices revealed more than 500 images and 1,100 videos depicting child sexual abuse of both prepubescent and pubescent minors. Images and videos of the 14-year-old minor victim engaged in sex acts with Tolbert were also recovered. As part of the plea, the parties involved have recommended a sentence of 15 to 20 years in prison. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati division; and Jackson County Sheriff Tedd Frazier announced the guilty plea entered today before Chief U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski and Jennifer M. Rausch are representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Former Army Master Sergeant Sentenced for Child Pornography

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: NEW BERN, N.C. – A former army Master Sergeant was sentenced today to 76 years’ imprisonment followed by lifetime supervised release for Distribution and Receipt of Child Pornography. According to court documents and other information presented in court, Joshua Robert George Glardon, 41, was investigated by the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation in July 2021 for child exploitation offenses. The investigation began when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received three CyberTips from Kik social media that one of its users had uploaded child sexual abuse material on multiple days. The IP address used to upload the images belonged to Joshua Glardon who lived in Fayetteville. Two of the images in the CyberTip appeared to be homemade images. Pursuant to a search warrant, Glardon’s digital devices were seized. After a forensic analysis was complete, law enforcement found thousands of images of child sexual abuse material on his phone. Included in those files were images of the child that appeared to be homemade images that were a part of the CyberTips. Law enforcement officers were able to identify the child through chat messages Glardon had with Amy Huddleston. When law enforcement learned Huddleston had access to this child, a search warrant was executed on Huddleston’s residence. In an interview, Huddleston confessed to allowing Glardon to rape this child. She admitted she would take images and videos of the child, including videos of her performing sexual acts on the child, and send them to Glardon. A forensic analysis of Huddleston’s digital devices revealed chat conversations wherein Glardon and Huddleston discussed the sexual abuse of the child. Glardon would then distribute the child’s images over the internet where he encouraged others to further share the images. Law enforcement located nearly 50 conversations wherein Glardon had shared the child’s image and encouraged others to fantasize about brutally raping the child. His co-defendant, Amy Huddleston, was sentenced in June to 30 years’ imprisonment. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the sentencing was concluded. U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan presided over the sentencing. The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charity Wilson prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on our website . Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:22-CR98-1FL.


title: Pittsburgh Resident Pleads Guilty to Violating Federal Firearm Laws

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court on charges of violating federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. On July 8, 2021 and on April 27, 2022, Gerald Harrison, age 23, intentionally made false statements in connection with the purchase of firearms in order to deceive the federally licensed firearms dealers into believing that Mr. Harrison was purchasing these firearms for himself when, in fact, Mr. Harrison was purchasing these firearms for other persons. The law provides for a term of imprisonment of not more than (10) ten years, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Carl J. Spindler is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Hartford Gang Member Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Fentanyl Distribution and Gun Possession Offenses

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOSE TIRADO, also known as “Joselito” and “Leet,” 42, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 84 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for fentanyl distribution and firearm possession offenses. According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an investigation into gang-related drug trafficking and firearm possession by members of Los Solidos. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps, revealed that Luis Feliciano, also known as “Louminaty,” distributed fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and crack to customers and other distributors in the Hartford area, including Tirado, and also to individuals in New York and Maine. Tirado further distributed fentanyl to other distributors and his own customer. During the investigation, Tirado also brokered a gun transaction between a codefendant, Devin Texira, and another individual. Tirado’s criminal history includes five felony drug convictions. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce. On June 8, 2022, a grand jury returned an indictment charging Tirado, Feliciano, Texira, and 13 others with various narcotics distribution and firearm possession offenses. Tirado was arrested on June 9, 2022. On February 23, 2023, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. He has been detained since his arrest. Feliciano and Texira pleaded guilty and await sentencing. This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and the Hartford Police Department. The Task Force includes members of the FBI, Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, New Britain Police Department, West Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian P. Leaming and Robert S. Ruff. through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.


title: Informational: Federal Court arraignments

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt: Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on Aug. 11 was: Erik Joseph Perlberg, 48, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and illegal possession of a machine gun. If convicted of the most serious crime, Perlberg faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Perlberg was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-90. Appearing on Aug. 10 was: Caeland Delmon Ackerman, 22, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of ammunition. If convicted of the most serious crime, Ackerman faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Ackerman was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-81. Appearing on Aug. 8 was: Joseph Simpson, 49, of Lame Deer, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute meth and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted of the most serious crime, Simpson faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release on the drug charges and a mandatory minimum five years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release, on the firearm charge. Simpson was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-91. Anatoliy Samoyednyy, 46, of Sparta, Missouri, on charges of involuntary manslaughter. If convicted of the most serious crime, Samoyednyy faces a maximum of eight years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Samoyednyy was released pending further proceedings. The FBI, Bureau of Indian Affairs and Montana Highway Patrol investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-83. Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnson and pleading not guilty on Aug. 8 was: Jarek William Hahn, 30, of Helena, on charges of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and drug user in possession of firearms. If convicted of the most serious crime, Hahn faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and three years of supervised release. Hahn was detained pending further proceedings. The Missouri River Drug Task Force and FBI investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-16. Henry Gabryl Youpee, Jr., 20, of Poplar, on charges of burglary. If convicted of the most serious crime, Youpee faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $50,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Youpee was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office and Fort Peck Tribes’ Department of Law and Justice investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-68. Patricia Wells, 58, of Heart Butte, on obstruction of justice by witness tampering, obstruction of justice by evidence tampering and obstruction of an official proceeding as charged in a superseding indictment. If convicted of the most serious crime, Wells faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Wells was released pending further proceedings. The FBI investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-47. Timothy Edward Gonser, 55, of Great Falls, on charges of prohibited person in possession of firearms and ammunition. If convicted of the most serious crime, Gonser faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Gonser was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Great Falls Police Department and Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-75. Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on Aug. 11 was: Adrian Anthony Aragon, 52, of Butte, on charges of wire fraud, theft of government money and aggravated identity theft. If convicted of the most serious crime, Aragon faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, $250,000 fine and three years of supervised released on the wire fraud charge, and a mandatory minimum of two years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and one year of supervised release, on the aggravated identity theft charge. Aragon was detained pending further proceedings. The U.S. Department of Interior Office of Inspector General investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-7. Appearing on Aug. 7 was: Jesse Trujillo, 27, of Bozeman, on charges of conspiracy to possess meth with intent to distribute and possession with intent to distribute meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Trujillo faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Trujillo was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI and Montana Highway Patrol investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-13. Agatha Noriz Carranza, 33, of Whitehall, on charges conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute meth and fentanyl, and possession with intent to distribute meth and fentanyl. Appearing on July 27 on the same charges were co-defendants Juan Felipe Vidrio Fuentes, 25, of Anaheim, California; Martin Topete Garcia, 32, of Mira Loma, California; Johnathan Topete, 27, of Mira Loma, California; and Anthony Wayne Johnson II, 46, of Santa Ana, California. Martin Garcia, Johnathan Topete and Anthony Johnson II face an additional charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted of the most serious charge, all defendants face a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release on the drug charges. If convicted of the firearm charge, the defendants face a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release. All defendants were detained pending further proceedings. The Missouri River Drug Task Force, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Montana Highway Patrol and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-10. The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html . To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl . XXX


title: Former Oklahoma Police Officer Indicted for Sexual Assault and Obstruction

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: A federal grand jury in Muskogee, Oklahoma, returned a three-count indictment, unsealed today, charging former Savanna Police Department (SPD) police officer Jeffery Scott Smith Jr. with a federal civil rights violation for sexually assaulting a victim while acting under color of law and obstructing justice. According to the indictment, on Nov. 2, 2022, in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma, Jeffery Scott Smith Jr., 35, while on duty as an SPD police officer, conducted a traffic stop on a car in which the victim was a passenger. Count one of the indictment charges Smith with depriving the victim of her right to bodily integrity when he sexually assaulted the victim during the traffic stop. That indictment alleges that Smith’s conduct resulted in bodily injury to the victim and included the commission of a nonconsensual sexual act with the victim. Counts two and three of the indictment charge Smith with knowingly altering, concealing, covering up and falsifying an SPD record by deactivating his SPD body worn camera and SPD dashboard camera during the traffic stop, with the intent to impede, obstruct, and influence an investigation into his sexual misconduct. If convicted, Smith faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison on the civil rights count and 20 years in prison on each of the obstruction of justice counts. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Wilson for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, and Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Oklahoma City Field Office is investigating the case, with assistance from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office. Trial Attorney Laura Gilson of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Clay Compton for the Eastern District of Oklahoma are 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. Indictment


title: Grand Rapids Man Accused Of Human Trafficking

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: Grand Jury Alleges Sex Trafficking of a Child and Child Exploitation GRAND RAPIDS , MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that a grand jury has charged a man from Grand Rapids with federal human trafficking and child exploitation crimes. Torey Franklin, 29, is accused of sex trafficking a minor in the spring and summer of 2022, and producing, receiving, and distributing child pornography during the same time period as part of his trafficking business. “Trafficking in any form is inherently cruel, but the sex trafficking of minors is particularly troubling because of the unique vulnerability of the victims,” said U.S. Attorney Totten . “My office is committed to protecting our most vulnerable and holding traffickers legally accountable for their offenses.” According to the indictment, Franklin provided a 17-year-old minor for commercial sex work in Kent County, even though he knew the minor was under the age of 18. The indictment also alleges that Franklin enticed the same minor to take sexually explicit pictures, which he then distributed. Sex trafficking of a minor is punishable by a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison. If Franklin is convicted of this offense, the sentencing judge will have discretion to impose up to a lifetime term of imprisonment. The penalty range for the sexual exploitation of a minor charge is 15 to 30 years, and the range for the child pornography charges is 5 to 20 years. “Combating sex trafficking and violence in our communities is of the highest priority for the FBI and our law enforcement partners across the State of Michigan,” said Devin J. Kowalski, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan . “These types of crimes have a lasting impact on the victim and those who harm the most vulnerable members of our society will be held accountable.” The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law. Torey Franklin Indictment ###


title: Former St. Louis County Realty Company Employee Sentenced to Prison for $487,000 Fraud

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig on Friday sentenced a former employee of a St. Louis County realty company to three years in prison for embezzling $487,000 from her employer. Crystal Hendrix, 50, of Festus, was also fined $10,000 and ordered to repay the money she stole. Hendrix handled payroll as part of her duties with the real estate company and had access to the company bank accounts. From about Jan. 8, 2018 to Dec. 9, 2020, Hendrix sent over 140 payments totaling approximately $483,037 to her own bank account. Hendrix used the money at restaurants and to buy a vehicle, her plea agreement says. Hendrix pleaded guilty in March to three counts of wire fraud. The U.S. Secret Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gwendolyn Carroll and Edward Dowd III prosecuted the case.


title: Columbus Resident Charged with Forcibly Assaulting Two Federal Officers

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ga. – A federal criminal complaint charging a Columbus resident with forcibly assaulting two federal officers as they attempted to take him into custody last week was unsealed today. Christopher Upshaw, 24, had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Court Judge Stephen Hyles on Aug. 10, and was ordered detained by the Court. Upshaw is charged by criminal complaint with forcibly assaulting, resisting or opposing a federal officer. If convicted, Upshaw faces a maximum 20 years in prison. According to court proceedings and the criminal complaint, Upshaw was under investigation for alleged drug distribution. On July 5, a federal search warrant was executed on a suspicious package destined for an address in Columbus; agents found 12 vacuum sealed bags of marijuana from Northern California. On July 31, a suspicious package originating from Northern California and addressed to the same location was identified. As part of the investigation, agents observed the suspicious package received and then placed in a Dodge Challenger registered to Upshaw. When deputies attempted to pull the vehicle over, allegedly driven by Upshaw, a high-speed chase ensued, with the driver of the Challenger traveling recklessly through residential neighborhoods and performing illegal and evasive lane changes in heavy traffic. The vehicle also traveled northbound in a southbound lane. The pursuit was terminated by law enforcement due to concerns about public safety, and the driver of the vehicle got away. On Aug. 4, another suspicious package from Northern California addressed for a residence allegedly associated with Upshaw was identified. Law enforcement, attempting to arrest Upshaw on outstanding arrest warrants for assault and battery, felony malicious wounding and resisting arrest, conducted surveillance on the location that day. At 3:30 p.m., the suspicious parcel was delivered. Approximately 30 minutes later, Upshaw allegedly arrived in his Dodge Challenger, picked up the package, placed it inside his car and got back in the driver’s seat. At this time, 15 law enforcement officers wearing agency-issued body armor with visible insignia approached Upshaw to arrest him on outstanding warrants. Upshaw allegedly began forcibly operating his vehicle to resist the arrest, despite officers’ demands to stop and exit the car. One FBI Task Force Officer attempted to open the driver’s side door and one FBI Agent tried to open the passenger’s side door. Upshaw allegedly accelerated causing his car to strike the FBI Task Force Officer. Simultaneously, because of the vehicle’s acceleration, the FBI Agent on the passenger side was unable to disengage from the door handle and was pushed into a nearby vehicle causing bodily harm. Law enforcement continued chasing Upshaw, who eventually abandoned the car and fled on foot. Upshaw escaped and was captured on Aug. 9. The case was investigated by FBI, DEA, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office and the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Williams is prosecuting the case. A complaint is only an allegation of criminal conduct, and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt.