title: San Bernardino County-Based Home Health Agency and Owner Settle False Claims Act Allegations Related to Improper COVID-Relief Loan

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT LOS ANGELES – Allstar Health Providers Inc., a Rancho Cucamonga-based home health agency, and its owner, Maria Chua, have agreed to pay $399,990 to the United States to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act when they knowingly received and retained more than one Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan prior to Dec. 31, 2020, in violation of PPP rules, the Justice Department announced today. The PPP, an emergency loan program established by Congress in March 2020 under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act and administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA), was intended to support small businesses struggling to pay employees and other business expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. A borrower applying for a PPP loan was required to make multiple certifications relating to its eligibility and compliance with program rules. Among other things, PPP loan applicants in 2020 were required to certify that they would not receive more than one PPP loan prior to Dec. 31, 2020. The United States alleged that Chua submitted two PPP loan applications on behalf of Allstar Health Providers in May 2020, and in both applications, she certified that the company would not receive more than one loan prior to Dec. 31, 2020. Despite these certifications, the United States alleged that Allstar Health Providers received two PPP loans in 2020, and thereafter knowingly and improperly retained the second, duplicate loan. According to the United States, Allstar Health Providers failed to repay the duplicate loan, which resulted in a loss to the SBA when it purchased the loan guaranty on the duplicate loan. “When an individual violates the False Claims Act by fraudulently receiving and retaining PPP loans, taxpayers lose,” said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California. “Those who violate the law by fraudulently receiving and retaining PPP loans will be held accountable.” “PPP loans were intended to provide critical relief to small businesses,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to pursuing those who knowingly violated the requirements of the PPP or other COVID-19 assistance programs and obtained relief funds to which they were not entitled.” “This is another excellent example of the success of the combined investigative efforts of the Small Business Administration and the Department of Justice in aggressively pursuing instances of misconduct and recovering funds from those who choose to commit fraudulent acts against SBA’s COVID-relief programs,” said General Counsel Therese Meers of SBA. The settlement resolves claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by J. Bryan Quesenberry. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Quesenberry v. 2 Evil Geniuses et al. , No. 20-cv-8495 (C.D. Cal.). Mr. Quesenberry will receive a total of approximately $60,000 in connection with this settlement. Assistant United States Attorney Frank D. Kortum of the Civil Division’s Civil Fraud Section and Justice Department Trial Attorney Jared S. Wiesner of the Civil Division handled the matter. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department 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 actors committing civil and criminal fraud and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs can be reported by visiting the webpage of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section, which can be found here . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can also report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at NCDF Disaster Complaint Form. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.


title: Jamaican woman sentenced for passport fraud

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Maria Josephine Wright-Lawrence, 34, a Jamaican citizen, who was convicted of false use of a passport, was sentenced to serve nine months in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright, who handled the case, stated that on January 4, 2024, Wright-Lawrence and another individual arrived at the Rainbow Bridge Port of Entry from Canada at around 11:30 p.m. attempting to enter the United States. While at primary inspection, a Customs and Border Protection officer interviewed the two to determine their status and their ability to legally enter the United States. Wright-Lawrence provided the CBP officer with a United States Passport, with the purported name “K.E.M,” and stated she was a U.S. Citizen living in the state of Texas. The CBP officer noticed that the photograph on the passport was blurry and altered, and observed that Wright-Lawrence was acting nervous, and avoided making eye contact. Wright-Lawrence and the other individual were referred to secondary inspection for further questioning. During secondary inspection, another CBP officer examined the passport and confirmed that it had been forged and altered. Further investigation by confirmed that the passport had been stolen in Kingston, Jamaica, and belonged to “K.E.M.,” not Wright-Lawrence. Her fingerprints also confirmed her true identity was Maria Josephine Wright-Lawrence, a Jamaican citizen not legally permitted to enter the United States. A search of the vehicle also recovered several identification cards with Maria Josephine Wright-Lawrence’s real name and photograph. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan. # # # #


title: Urine Drug Testing Laboratory And Owner Agree To Resolve False Claims Act Allegations

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Dena J. King announced today that LabXperior Corporation (LabXperior) and owner Tina Ball (Ball) have paid $235,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the Federal False Claims Act and North Carolina False Claims Act by knowingly billing North Carolina Medicaid (Medicaid) for urine drug tests that were medically unnecessary and resulted from violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute. The United States and State of North Carolina alleged that from September 28, 2016, through December 20, 2017, LabXperior submitted claims to Medicaid for urine drug tests that were false. The claims were false because they were the result of an illegal kickback arrangement between LabXperior and BPolloni Consulting, LLC (BPolloni), an entity that referred urine drug tests to LabXperior. Under the arrangement, LabXperior paid BPolloni a percentage of the revenue or profit from the Medicaid reimbursement for each urine drug test that BPolloni arranged for another entity, Do It 4 the Hood Corporation (D4H), to send to LabXperior. The Chief Executive Officer of BPolloni and other individuals who operated D4H previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and Anti-Kickback Statute violations arising from D4H’s illegal kickback arrangements with urine drug testing laboratories. In addition to being tainted by illegal kickbacks, the United States and State of North Carolina alleged that claims for drug tests that LabXperior submitted to Medicaid were false because the tests were medically unnecessary. Specifically, the orders for the tests were not patient-specific and did not reflect a qualified medical provider’s determination of the patient’s need for the testing. The civil settlement and resolution of claims obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI in Charlotte, with assistance from the Medicaid Investigations Division of the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office, the Office of Inspector General of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations. The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).


title: Former Accounting Chief at Now-Shuttered Girardi Keese Law Firm Pleads Guilty to Embezzling Money from Clients and the Firm Itself

body_text: LOS ANGELES – The former longtime head of the accounting department at the now-shuttered Los Angeles plaintiffs’ personal injury law firm Girardi Keese pleaded guilty today to enabling the embezzlement of tens millions of dollars from the firm’s injured clients and to embezzling money from Girardi Keese itself. Christopher Kazuo Kamon, 51, formerly of Encino and Palos Verdes and who was residing in The Bahamas at the time of his November 2022 arrest, pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud. According to his plea agreement, from 2004 until December 2020, Kamon was the head of the accounting department at Girardi Keese, a plaintiffs’ personal injury law firm based in downtown Los Angeles. In this position, Kamon worked closely with Thomas Vincent Girardi, 85, formerly a resident of Pasadena but who now resides in Seal Beach, as well as other senior lawyers at the law firm. In December 2020, Girardi Keese’s creditors forced the once-prominent law firm into bankruptcy proceedings. The law firm dissolved in January 2021 and the State Bar of California disbarred Girardi in July 2022. On August 27, a federal jury in Los Angeles found Girardi guilty of four counts of wire fraud. Girardi’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 6. In addition to supervising the law firm’s accounting department, Kamon oversaw facilitating payment of the law firm’s expenses. Kamon had a duty to keep accurate books and records of Girardi Keese, including accounting of money held in its attorney-client trust accounts. Typically, Girardi determined and directed which clients would be paid, how much they would be paid, when they would be paid, and signed all outgoing checks to clients. Kamon had signatory authority on additional Girardi Keese bank accounts. From at least 2010 until December 2020, Girardi and Kamon schemed to defraud Girardi Keese clients out of their settlement money, using the misappropriated funds to pay the law firm’s payroll, the law firm’s credit card bills, and to pay Girardi and Kamon’s personal expenses. Specifically, one victim – a Girardi Keese client who suffered severe burns all over his body when a natural gas pipeline exploded in San Bruno, California, in September 2010 – had a $53 million settlement negotiated. This deal was negotiated and agreed to without the client’s prior approval. Per the terms of the settlement, $25 million was invested into an annuity. The remaining $28 million was wired into a Girardi Keese client trust account in January 2013. Girardi, assisted by Kamon, misappropriated, and embezzled that client’s settlement money and used the funds to pay other Girardi Keese expenses and liabilities unrelated to this client, including payments to other law firm clients whose own settlement funds previously had been misappropriated by Girardi and others. To prevent the victim from discovering Girardi’s embezzlement, Girardi lied to the client by saying the funds had been transferred into a separate interest-bearing account. In fact, no such transfers had been made and no such interest-bearing account containing these funds existed. Girardi and Kamon sent lulling payments to the victim as purported “interest payments” deriving from the purported interest-bearing account. In July 2019, they sent the victim a $2.5 million check, purportedly as disbursement of the victim’s settlement funds. In fact, Girardi and Kamon knew these settlement proceeds belonged to other Girardi Keese clients. Girardi already had spent the victim’s settlement funds through disbursements unrelated to the victim’s case. In a separate criminal case, Kamon admitted to running a years-long scheme in which he embezzled Girardi Keese funds for his personal enrichment. From at least 2013 to December 2020, Kamon utilized co-schemers to pose as “vendors” who were providing goods and services to the law firm. Kamon caused the supposed vendors to issue fraudulent invoices to Girardi Keese for goods and services that they purportedly provided to the law firm. Kamon caused Girardi Keese to pay the amounts due on the fraudulent invoices. In fact, the law firm was paying the “vendors” for Kamon’s personal benefit, including for construction projects at his homes in Palos Verdes and Encino. According to evidence presented at the recent trial of Tom Girardi, part of Kamon’s scheme involved payments to a female companion amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars, including a monthly stipend of $20,000, out of the Girardi Keese operating accounts despite the woman having no employment relationship with Girardi Keese. United States District Judge Josephine L. Staton scheduled a January 31, 2025, sentencing hearing, at which time Kamon will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison on each count. Kamon has been in federal custody since December 2022. Kamon – along with Girardi and David R. Lira, Girardi’s son-in-law, and a former Girardi Keese lawyer – also faces federal fraud charges in Chicago. Trial in that case is scheduled for March 3, 2025. IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Ali Moghaddas of the Corporate and Securities Fraud Strike Force and Scott Paetty of the Major Frauds Section are prosecuting this case.


title: Former Owner of ‘The Timepiece Gentleman’ Luxury Watch Consignment Store in Beverly Hills Pleads Guilty to Fraud Charges

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A Los Angeles man who ran a Beverly Hills luxury watch consignment business and was known as “The Timepiece Gentleman” pleaded guilty today to swindling dozens of his customers of out a total of at least $5.6 million. Anthony Farrer, 36, formerly of downtown Los Angeles, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of mail fraud. He has been in federal custody since November 2023. According to his plea agreement, from November 2022 to November 2023, Farrer used his business – also called “The Timepiece Gentlemen” – to connect purchasers and sellers of high-end watches. In a typical consignment sale, a client would ship a watch to The Timepiece Gentleman and Farrer would take possession of the watch, agreeing to display it at his Beverly Hills store and through online and social media marketing. The items involved in this case included luxury watches by Rolex, Richard Mille, and Patek Phillipe, among others. Once the watch was sold, Farrer was supposed to remit the sales proceeds back to the client, minus a consignment fee, which typically was approximately 5% of the sales price. If the watch did not sell within a specific time or for a specified price, Farrer was to return the watch to the client. However, instead of remitting watch sales proceeds – or the unsold watches themselves – back to the clients, Farrer sold the client watches and kept the proceeds for himself. He also used client watches – without the client’s knowledge or permission – as collateral for loans that he took out from lenders. When a client asked about the status of a watch on consignment sale, Farrer lied and said that the watch had not yet been sold. In fact, Farrer already had sold the watch or otherwise disposed of it, keeping the funds for his own personal benefit. In addition to his consignment sale business, Farrer also purported to purchase watches on behalf of his clients. Typically, a client sent funds to Farrer, often by wire transfers to his bank accounts or through payment processors such as Zelle, for the purpose of Farrer locating and buying a specified watch on the client’s behalf. But in fact, Farrer took the clients’ money and used it for other purposes, including to fund his lavish lifestyle such as buying or leasing luxury automobiles, apartments, and other luxury goods. When a client who had sent him money asked Farrer about the status of a watch purchase, Farrer often sent another watch to the client to tide the client over or lull them into a false sense of security regarding the status of the purchase. Similar to a Ponzi scheme, the other watch Farrer sent to the client often belonged to other clients who had themselves sent him that watch for a consignment sale. These clients were unaware Farrer was using their watches for that purpose, rather than attempting to sell the watches on behalf of the clients. In total, Farrer fraudulently obtained money and property belonging to more than 40 victims and caused total losses of at least $5,691,005. United States District Judge Josephine L. Staton scheduled a January 31, 2025, sentencing hearing, at which time Farrer will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each count. The FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Beverly Hills Police Department investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua O. Mausner of the Violent and Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.


title: Former King County Jail guard sentenced to more than eight years in prison for accepting bribe to bring narcotics into facility

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A former King County Jail guard with a history of corrupt actions was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 102 months in prison for bribery and distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl pills, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Former jail employee Mosses Ramos, 40, of Milton, Washington, had been a King County jail guard for 18 years before he was fired last year. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez told Ramos “You betrayed your fellow corrections officers…. You jeopardized the safety of other officers as well as the safety of inmates…. You were smuggling deadly poison into the jail.” “Corrections officers are critical for operating safe, humane, and secure detention facilities,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “In this case Mr. Ramos betrayed the trust placed in him and jeopardized the safety of his colleagues and detainees by smuggling highly addictive and lethal drugs into the jail.” According to records filed in the case, between March and May 2023, Ramos accepted a $5,000 bribe to bring about a pound of methamphetamine and 100 fentanyl pills into the jail for inmates Michael Anthony Barquet, 37, and Francisco Montero, 25. Both men are currently incarcerated. Montero is facing trial in King County Superior Court for a double homicide. Barquet is scheduled for trial on drug and bribery charges for this case in April 2025. The web of bribes and drug trafficking extended outside the jail with three coconspirators who are alleged associates of the two inmates: Neca Silvestre, 38,of Kent; Katrina Cazares, 38, of Burien; and Kayara Zepeda Montero, 27, of Seattle have all pleaded guilty in the case and await sentencing. In asking for a ten-year sentence, Assistant United States Attorney Cindy Chang wrote to the court, “Ramos has a history of abusing his authority as a long-serving King County corrections officer. For years, he introduced drugs and other contraband into the facility. He disclosed confidential information to inmates. He allowed inmates to assault one another and even expressed a desire for an inmate to be assaulted when he believed the inmate “snitched” on him. Ramos’ unwavering abuse of power before, during, and after the charged offenses is an aggravating factor for his sentence.” “Impact in our community is built on the foundation of trust, and Mr. Ramos chose to violate that trust,” said Kelly M. Smith, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of FBI Seattle. “We are grateful for the exceptional collaboration with the King County Sheriff’s Office and the King County Department of Adult & Juvenile Detention who share our commitment to holding public servants accountable and keeping drugs out of our correctional facilities. This successful joint investigation demonstrates the commitment by public safety professionals to hold those who violate this trust to the highest standards.” “The Sheriff’s Office is eager to take any steps necessary to help keep fentanyl and other deadly drugs out of our communities, including our jails,” said King County Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall. “We are glad to have played a role in helping the Department of Justice shed light on these egregious and appalling crimes.” The case was investigated by the FBI and the King County Sheriff’s Office with support from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Cindy Chang and Vince Lombardi.


title: Former Tufts Medical Center Doctor Convicted of Attempted Sex Trafficking of a Child

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A former anesthesiologist at Tufts Medical Center was convicted yesterday by a federal jury of attempted sex trafficking of a child. Sadeq Ali Quraishi, 47, was convicted of one count of attempted sex trafficking of a child. U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley scheduled sentencing for Jan. 28, 2024. Quraishi was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2022. “The trafficking of women and minors for commercial sex is ever present in our communities and sex buyers from all walks of life drive this demand. As a practicing physician, Sadeq Quraishi was in a position of trust and expected to possess a strong ethical and moral compass. Instead, he engaged in extended negotiations with a purported trafficker and ultimately agreed to buy sex with a 14-year-old girl. Fortunately, this was a law enforcement operation and no real child was involved, but sadly that is not always the case.” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “We are actively prosecuting the men and women who traffic adults and kids for profit, but in order to make a real dent in this pernicious conduct, we also must go after the demand part of the equation –the people who are trolling the internet and trying to purchase sex with little kids. I hope that every coward behind a keyboard who is thinking about engaging in the rape of the child under the auspices of a commercial transaction thinks twice – you may very well be talking to an undercover federal agent. Don’t do it. If you do, you are looking at a minimum of 10 years or more behind bars.” “As a society, we put our trust in doctors and hold them to the highest ethical standards. Quraishi betrayed that trust by seeking out and attempting to pay to sexually abuse a child,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “HSI will never relent in our pursuit of bringing child predators to justice.” In November 2022, Quraishi, then a practicing anesthesiologist at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, responded to an online advertisement offering commercial sex with two young girls. Through an ensuing text conversation with undercover agents posing as the seller of the two girls, Quraishi agreed to pay $250 for a sex act to be performed by a 14-year-old girl. Shortly thereafter, Quraishi obtained cash from an ATM, and drove from his Boston home to a Waltham hotel to meet with the purported seller. Once at the hotel, he met with an undercover agent, confirmed he had the money to pay for the commercial sex act, and accepted a keycard he believed would give him access to the room where the 14-year-old girl would be located. During that meeting, Quraishi was arrested and found to be in possession of exactly $250. The charge of attempted sex trafficking of a child carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and provides a maximum sentence of up to life in prison, a term of supervised release of at least five years 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. If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov . Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and HSI SAC Krol made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian A. Fogerty of the Office’s Civil Rights & Human Trafficking Unit and Lauren A. Graber of the Health Care Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.


title: Ten Defendants Associated with “Everybody Shines Together” Street Gang Sentenced in Federal Drug and Gun Conspiracy

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Louisville, KY – This week the last of ten defendants, each of whom were associated with the “Everybody Shines Together” street gang (also knowns as “EST”), was sentenced as part of a conspiracy involving federal drug and firearms offenses. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement. “I commend the outstanding work of our prosecutors, federal law enforcement agents, and our local law enforcement partners who worked tirelessly to ensure the successful prosecution of the defendants in this case,” stated U.S. Attorney Bennett. “These are significant federal prison sentences for serious violations of the law. Together, we will continue to investigate and aggressively prosecute those who seek to flood our streets and neighborhoods with drugs while illegally using and possessing firearms.” "With the sentencing of Mr. Mosley comes the conclusion of a years-long collaborative effort across all levels of law enforcement to put some of Louisville's most hardened criminals behind bars and disrupt one of the area's most consequential street gangs," said Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury. "With multiple significant federal prison sentences, we hope this case serves as a warning sign. As long as you continue to exploit the young and vulnerable and fill our neighborhoods with senseless gun violence and harmful drug operations, the FBI will use every available resource to identify and dismantle your operation." “This sentencing highlights the result of countless hours of dedicated effort from officers and investigators from LMPD and our partner agencies,” stated Chief Paul Humphrey. Each day they place their life on the line to remove criminals such as these from the streets, making Louisville a safer, better place. The men and women of LMPD will not stop fighting against the scourge of violence and gang activity in our city. There is more work to do, but this particular group of criminals being sentenced and removed from our community is a move in the right direction.” According to court documents, Eric D. Mosley , 33, of Louisville, was sentenced on October 10, 2024, to 20 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, distribution of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a stolen motor vehicle. Mosley was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses. On December 1, 2015, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Mosley was convicted of enhanced possession of a controlled substance in the first degree, enhanced possession of drug paraphernalia, enhanced possession of marijuana, and enhanced possession of heroin. On December 1, 2014, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Mosley was convicted of enhanced trafficking in a controlled substance in the first degree, first offense, less than 4 grams of cocaine, receiving stolen property (firearm), enhanced possession of marijuana, and trafficking in a controlled substance in the first degree, first offense (less than 2 grams of heroin). Zaman Taylor , 24, of Louisville, was sentenced on October 3, 2024, to 20 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances, eight counts of distribution of methamphetamine, two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Darrian Toogood , 27, of Louisville, was sentenced on June 6, 2024, to 6 months in prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances and two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. Devonzo Summers , 27, of Louisville, was sentenced on March 21, 2024, to 15 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances, four counts of distribution of fentanyl, distribution of controlled substances, distribution of methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Barry Reed , 27, of Louisville, was sentenced on December 18, 2023, to 15 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances, four counts of distribution of fentanyl, distribution of controlled substances, two counts of distribution of methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of a stolen motor vehicle. Dazaray Rice , 30, of Louisville, was sentenced on November 9, 2023, to 3 years of probation, for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substance and two counts of distribution of fentanyl. Aerion Cook , 24, of Louisville, was sentenced on November 2, 2023, to 10 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances and three counts of distribution of methamphetamine. Khasi Jones , 31, of Louisville, was sentenced on November 2, 2023, to 5 years in prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances and six counts of distribution of fentanyl. Cedric Palmer , 28, of Louisville, was sentenced on October 12, 2023, to 5 years in prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances, distribution of controlled substances, and distribution of methamphetamine. Ricos Mosley , 36, of Louisville,was sentenced on August 17, 2023, to 5 years in prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the FBI and LMPD, with assistance from the ATF, IRS-CI, DEA, Nelson County Sheriff’s Office, Bullitt County Sheriff’s Office, and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Dahl and Josh Porter prosecuted the case with assistance from Paralegal Aaron Cooper. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (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 www.justice.gov/OCDETF. ####


title: Stratford Man Sentenced to 4 Years in Federal Prison for Gun Trafficking Offense

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that ESKAVAIL GORDON, also known as “Vail,” 21, of Stratford, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to 48 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for a firearm trafficking offense. According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 26, 2023, Stefan Bagley, Jr. was shot and wounded while traveling in his vehicle in Bridgeport. Later that same day, Bagley’s vehicle was used in another shooting incident in Bridgeport. An investigation revealed that, between October 2022 and October 2023, Bagley purchased approximately 20 9mm handguns from licensed firearm dealers and then trafficked the guns to a network of customers, including Gordon. Bagley typically scratched the serial numbers off of the firearms before providing them to his customers, making the guns more difficult to trace. During the investigation, a search of Bagley’s text messages revealed communications with Gordon in which the two discussed Bagley purchasing a Glock handgun for Gordon. Gordon then paid Bagley $750 for the gun. Gordon was arrested on December 18, 2023, and investigators seized a 9mm firearm from Gordon on the date of his arrest. Gordon was previously convicted in state court of possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle, and he was on state probation at the time of his criminal conduct in this case. 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 May 20, 2024, Gordon pleaded guilty to receipt of a trafficked firearm. He has been detained since his arrest. Bagley pleaded guilty to a related charge and awaits sentencing. Most of the firearms trafficked by Bagley are unaccounted for. U.S. Attorney Avery noted that this case is being prosecuted, in part, under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms. This matter is being investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Bridgeport Police Department, and the Connecticut State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Gresham. 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 gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Justice Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn .


title: Justice Department Sues Virginia for Violating Federal Law’s Prohibition on Systematic Efforts to Remove Voters Within 90 Days of an Election

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a lawsuit against the State of Virginia, Virginia State Board of Elections and Virginia Commissioner of Elections to challenge a systematic state program aimed at removing voters from its election rolls too close to the Nov. 5 general election in violation of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA). Section 8(c)(2) of the NVRA, also known as the Quiet Period Provision, requires states to complete systematic programs aimed at removing the names of ineligible voters from voter registration lists no later than 90 days before federal elections. The Quiet Period Provision applies to certain systematic programs carried out by states that are aimed at striking names from voter registration lists based on a perceived failure to meet initial eligibility requirements — including citizenship — at the time of registration. “As the National Voter Registration Act mandates, officials across the country should take heed of the law’s crystal clear and unequivocal restrictions on systematic list maintenance efforts that fall within 90 days of an election,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “By cancelling voter registrations within 90 days of Election Day, Virginia places qualified voters in jeopardy of being removed from the rolls and creates the risk of confusion for the electorate. Congress adopted the National Voter Registration Act’s quiet period restriction to prevent error-prone, eleventh hour efforts that all too often disenfranchise qualified voters. The right to vote is the cornerstone of our democracy and the Justice Department will continue to ensure that the rights of qualified voters are protected.” The Quiet Period is an important protection for voters, because systematic removal programs may be error-ridden, cause voter confusion and remove eligible voters days or weeks before Election Day who may be unable to correct the State’s errors in time to vote or may be dissuaded from voting at all. States may remove names from official lists of voters in various ways and for various reasons, but they may not carry-on this kind of systematic removal program so close to a federal election. On Aug. 7, the governor of Virginia signed an executive order requiring among other things that the commissioner of the Department of Elections certify that the Department of Elections was conducting “Daily Updates to the Voter List.” These updates included “compar[ing] the list of individuals who have been identified as non-citizens” by the State Department of Motor Vehicles “to the list of existing registered voters.” Local registrars were then required to “notify any matches of their pending cancellation unless they affirm their citizenship within 14 days.” The letter directs recipients who are in fact U.S. citizens and eligible to vote to complete and return an Affirmation of Citizenship form. The notice informs voters that, if they do not respond to the notice within 14 days, they will be removed from the list of registered voters. This process has led to U.S. citizens having their voter registrations cancelled. The process laid out in the executive order formalized an ongoing list maintenance procedure that has been carried out into the quiet period, including at least as recently as late September. This systematic voter removal program, which the State is conducting within 90 days of the upcoming federal election, violates the Quiet Period Provision. The Justice Department seeks injunctive relief that would restore the ability of impacted eligible voters to vote unimpeded on Election Day and would prohibit future quiet period violations. The department also seeks remedial mailings to educate eligible voters concerning the restoration of their rights and adequate training of local officials and poll workers to address confusion and distrust among eligible voters accused of being noncitizens. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Jessica Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia and U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh for the Western District of Virginia made the announcement. Individuals who are eligible voters and believe that they may have been removed from the voter rolls as a result of Virginia’s systematic removal process should contact the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section through the internet reporting portal at civilrights.justice.gov or by telephone at 1-800-253-3931. More information about voting and elections, including guidance documents and other resources, is available at www.justice.gov/voting . More information about the NVRA and other federal voting laws is available at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section . The department recently announced a new guidance document addressing limits on when and how jurisdictions may remove voters from their voter lists. Complaints about discriminatory voting practices may be reported to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section through the internet reporting portal at civilrights.justice.gov or by telephone at 1-800-253-3931.


title: Federal Jury Finds Brooklyn Park Felon Guilty of Possession of Fentanyl, Firearm Following Deadly Vehicle Crash

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: ST. PAUL, Minn. – A federal jury found Derrick John Thompson guilty of illegal possession of a firearm and fentanyl following a deadly vehicle crash that killed five victims, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. Following a five-day trial in U.S. District Court before Judge Jeffrey M. Bryan, Thompson, 28, was found guilty of one count of possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of possessing a firearm as a felon, and one count of carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. According to evidence presented at trial, on June 16, 2023, a trooper with the Minnesota State Patrol observed a black Cadillac Escalade speeding north on I-35W, traveling at 95 miles per hour in a 55 miles per hour speed zone. The trooper observed the driver, later identified as Thompson, abruptly cut across four lanes of traffic to exit the freeway at the Lake Street exit. The trooper began following the SUV but did not activate the emergency lights or sirens because the trooper did not want to attempt a traffic stop on city streets given the Escalade’s dangerous driving. At the intersection of 2nd Avenue South and East Lake Street, Thompson sped through a red light at the intersection without stopping or slowing. The SUV struck at full speed the driver’s side of a Honda Civic that was traveling lawfully through the intersection. All five occupants of the Honda Civic, four adult females and one juvenile female, were killed. When law enforcement responded to the scene of the crash, witnesses told officers where Thompson fled. Officers found Thompson, wearing clothing that matched the description given by witnesses, sitting on the curb outside of a nearby restaurant. Officers detained Thompson, who was later transported to Hennepin County Medical Center for evaluation. According to evidence presented at trial, an officer found at the scene a Hertz rental record for the Cadillac Escalade indicating that Thompson rented the vehicle from a Hertz located at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport approximately 30 minutes before the crash. After obtaining a warrant to search the vehicle, officers found a black leather bag on the front passenger side floor that contained a loaded Glock pistol with an extended magazine, as well as three baggies containing more than 2,000 blue “M-Box 30” fentanyl pills, a baggie containing an additional 14 grams of fentanyl powder, a baggie containing 35 grams of cocaine, and a digital scale. Subsequent testing determined that Thompson’s DNA was present on the firearm, the fentanyl powder, and the cocaine. A search of Thompson’s phone found dozens of texts indicating fentanyl deals. Because Thompson has multiple prior felony convictions, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Minneapolis Police Department, the Minnesota State Patrol, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Minneapolis–St. Paul Airport Police Department, in coordination with the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Calhoun-Lopez and Ruth S. Shnider tried the case.


title: Former Chief Executive Officer of Chicago Hospital Added to Federal Indictment Alleging Corruption and Embezzlement

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: CHICAGO — An ongoing federal investigation into alleged corruption and embezzlement at a Chicago hospital has resulted in a conspiracy charge against the hospital’s former Chief Executive Officer. A 45-count, second superseding indictment accuses former CEO GEORGE MILLER, JR., 73, of Dallas, Texas, of conspiring with the hospital’s then-Chief Financial Officer, ANOSH AHMED, 40, of Houston, Texas, to corruptly steer vendor contracts and other hospital business to certain medical supply companies in exchange for cash from the companies’ owner, SAMEER SUHAIL, 47, of Chicago. Ahmed, Suhail, and the hospital’s former Chief Transformation Officer, HEATHER BERGDAHL, 37, of Houston, Texas, were originally indicted earlier this year on fraud, embezzlement, and money laundering counts. The charges accused them of causing the hospital to issue payments to purported vendor companies for goods and services that they knew had not been provided. Many of the purported vendor companies were created by Suhail and Ahmed under various names to conceal their association with the fraudulent payments, the charges alleged. Bergdahl allegedly opened bank accounts in the names of two legitimate hospital vendors and caused the hospital to deposit fraudulent payments into those accounts. The second superseding indictment, which was returned Thursday in U.S. District Court in Chicago, renews the prior charges against Ahmed, Suhail, and Bergdahl, adds Miller as a defendant, and includes new tax charges against Ahmed for allegedly underreporting income in his individual tax returns. The newly returned indictment alleges that from 2018 to 2021, Suhail paid Miller and Ahmed a share of $19 million in payments that he received from the hospital, in return for Miller and Ahmed steering those contracts and business to him. The payments to Miller and Ahmed were in addition to the millions of dollars in fraudulent payments charged in the prior indictment. Arraignments on the second superseding indictment have not yet been scheduled. The second superseding indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, Mario Pinto, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sheri H. Mecklenburg and Kelly L. Guzman. The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. ahmed_et_al_second_superseding_indictment.pdf


title: Tigerton Man Indicted for Shotgun Assault on a Postal Carrier

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on October 8, 2024, a federal grand jury issued an indictment alleging that Benjamin L. Joos (age: 43) of Tigerton, Wisconsin, assaulted a federal employee in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 111(a) and 111(b). According to the indictment, on or about September 24, 2024, Joos “knowingly and by means and use of a dangerous weapon, namely a shotgun, did forcibly assault, oppose, impede, intimidate, and interfere” with a female postal carrier while she was performing her official duties. If convicted of the offense, he faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment and a maximum $250,000 fine. This case was investigated by the Shawano County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble. An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove his guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. ### For further information contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov (414) 297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: Jury Convicts Fort Dodge, Iowa Man for Illegal Possession of Firearm

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who illegally possessed a firearm was convicted by a jury on October 10, 2024, after a three-day trial in federal court in Sioux City. Lennox Vanvacter, 31, was convicted of one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. The verdict was returned following about 7 hours of jury deliberations. The evidence at trial showed that on July 30, 2023, law enforcement officers observed Vanvacter operating a motor vehicle. Based on their observations and the fact Vanvacter had an active arrest warrant for a previous eluding charge, officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop and apprehend him. When emergency lights/sirens were activated, Vanvacter engaged in a high-speed attempt (approximately 30 minutes in duration) to elude law enforcement, including speeds of 70 mph or more in Fort Dodge and 100 mph or more outside city limits in Webster County. Two sets of spike strips deployed by officers ultimately stopped the vehicle. Once stopped, Vanvacter attempted to flee from the officers on foot, through the passenger door, but was captured a short distance later. Officers located a loaded Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol, near the end of the vehicle’s flight path. Later, officers determined by review of patrol car camera video, that the firearm was thrown from the vehicle at the end of the pursuit. Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Vanvacter remains in custody of the United States Marshal and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Vanvacter faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and not more than three years of supervised release following any imprisonment. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Fort Dodge Police Department, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa DCI Laboratory, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-3037. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Iowa Farmer Sentenced to More Than Fifteen Years in Cattle Theft and Bankruptcy Fraud Scheme

body_text: A Clayton County farmer who stole over $5 million in livestock and COVID-19 pandemic benefits was sentenced on October 10, 2024, to more than 15 years in federal prison. Michael Wayne Butikofer, age 54, from Monona, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 1, 2023, guilty plea to one count of theft of livestock, one count of wire fraud, and one count of false bankruptcy declaration. Evidence in the case established that Butikofer operated a large farming operation in northeast Iowa known as “Fawn Hollow.” Butikofer operated a so-called “custom cattle” feeding operation in which employees of his organization would raise and care for cattle owned by other individuals, including cattle investors located across the United States. Fawn Hollow then sold the cattle, primarily to a Wisconsin slaughterhouse. At no time was Butikofer or “Fawn Hollow” registered with the United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) as a “dealer” under the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921 (“the Act”). Butikofer participated in the “H-2A” visa program and recruited agricultural workers from the Republic of South Africa to work at Fawn Hollow. Between July 2020 and February 2022, Butikofer converted the proceeds of sales of cattle owned by eight cattle investors, totaling over $2.5 million, to his own use. Butikofer had convinced the cattle investors to allow Butikofer to sell the cattle in his own name. When Butikofer sold the cattle to the Wisconsin slaughterhouse, Butikofer falsely represented to the slaughterhouse that he had “good and merchantable title to” the cattle when he did not, in fact, own or otherwise have title to the cattle. By convincing the cattle investors to permit Butikofer to sell their cattle in his own name, and by fraudulently concealing the true ownership of the cattle from the slaughterhouse, Butikofer attempted to evade the requirements of the Act and its regulations for registration, posting of a dealer bond, and prompt payment, which would have protected the cattle investors’ funds. In July 2020 and August 2020, Butikofer defrauded the USDA of more than $1.2 million in emergency assistance funds designed to assist livestock producers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, applications were submitted in the name of another individual and entitled “Coronavirus Food Assistance Program” (“CFAP”) payments. A cattle producer qualified for CFAP payments on a per head basis based on the producer’s owned inventory of eligible beef cattle on a date selected by the producer between certain dates in calendar year 2020. It was part of Butikofer’s wire fraud scheme that Butikofer falsely represented in CFAP applications that he and some of his associates owned cattle when, in truth, they did not own the cattle in question. In February 2022, Butikofer received over $1.5 million from the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) as part of an application for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”). Butikofer made false representations to the SBA about his financial condition and intended use for the SBA loan funds. Butikofer used part of the SBA funds to file for bankruptcy later that same month. During the bankruptcy case, Butikofer perjured himself five times and made a series of false and fraudulent statements about his financial condition in bankruptcy filings. In March 2022, Butikofer submitted a false and fraudulent statement of financial affairs in his bankruptcy case. There were more than 100 creditors in Butikofer’s bankruptcy case, and Butikofer used the bankruptcy case to intentionally delay and hinder their legitimate collection efforts. In 2018, Butikofer used forced labor to financially benefit Fawn Hollow. Butikofer dumped dead cattle near a house in which the H2-A workers lived on his farm. The workers had no hot water or furniture, and their water was contaminated. On one occasion, Butikofer assaulted one worker, grabbing the migrant worker by the shirt and pushing him towards a corn auger. Butikofer also tied the hands of another South African H-2A worker with a cable tie to an electric jigsaw and threatened workers with hanging and an electric shock dog collar. In 2020, three migrant workers obtained a $247,000 civil judgment against Butikofer in federal court for violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Trafficking Victims Protective Reauthorization Act. Butikofer later used his fraudulent bankruptcy proceeding to convince the workers to settle their judgment for $75,000. From April 2023 to November 2023, while on federal pretrial release, Butikofer recruited and caused another person in the Fawn Hollow criminal organization to recruit H-2A workers to the United States under false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises. The false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises included: (1) the housing conditions provided to the employees; (2) the location of the employees’ work; (3) the terms and timing of reimbursement for the employees’ work and expenses; and (4) payment for injuries sustained during the employment. For example, Butikofer convinced an H2-A worker from South Africa to come to the United States and bring his wife and teenaged daughter with him. When the family arrived, however, Butikofer moved the family to live in a camper without water, electricity, or heat. Ultimately, agents from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security rescued the family and paid for their food and shelter at a hotel in Cedar Rapids. Agents later rescued other workers bound for Fawn Hollow in April 2024. While Butikofer’s criminal case was pending, he repeatedly contacted witnesses in violation of a court order. Butikofer also attempted to convince grand jury and trial witnesses to make false statements and sign false documents in attempts to obstruct justice. Butikofer was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. At the sentencing, Judge Williams observed that Butikofer was operating a “Ponzi” scheme with investor cattle. Butikofer was sentenced to 188 months’ imprisonment. Butikofer was ordered to make over $5.7 million in restitution, forfeit $500,000, and repay $5,000 in attorney fees. Butikofer must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. As part of his plea agreement, Butikofer promised to pay the H-2A workers’ entire $247,000 judgment and also to voluntarily terminate and cease participation in foreign labor programs with respect to any program administered by the U.S. Department of Labor or U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Butikofer is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. United States Attorney Timothy T. Duax stated, “Butikofer treated his victims and the rule of law with equal contempt, and fully deserves his fifteen-year sentence to federal prison. This office will continue to aggressively prosecute people who defraud the government through the agricultural sector, the bankruptcy court, and by the mistreatment of foreign workers.” “Michael Butikofer exploited the H-2A program in order to enrich himself at the expense of agricultural workers. Butikofer recruited H-2A workers from South Africa. Once the workers were in the United States, Butikofer used threats of force to compel them to work for him. This sentencing sends a clear message that those who abuse the H-2A program will be held accountable. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue those who exploit foreign labor certification programs,” said Casey Howard, Special Agent-in-Charge, Central Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. “This sentencing demonstrates the commitment to holding individuals accountable for defrauding government programs, especially those designed to provide critical relief during the pandemic,” said Brady Ipock, Special Agent in Charge of the SBA OIG’s Central Region. “Our office will continue to pursue justice for victims and ensure the integrity of SBA’s disaster relief programs. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their collaboration and dedication to justice.” “The defendant in this case was held accountable for a number of serious fraudulent activities,” said Justin Bundy, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG). “He converted more than $2.5 million through a cattle investment scam and used those funds to enrich himself, at the expense of unsuspecting victims. He also falsely represented his financial condition and the intended use for SBA loan funds and defrauded the USDA of more than $1.5 million in funds designed to assist livestock producers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Also egregious was his use of forced labor to financially benefit his business and his mistreatment of migrant works that he employed. The FDIC OIG remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate and bring to justice those who participate in fraudulent schemes and threaten to undermine the integrity of our Nation’s banking system and government programs intended to benefit the American people.” On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and was investigated by the Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General, the United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, the United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, and Homeland Security Investigations. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 22-CR-1018. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Arraignment Held for Four Charged in Connection with a September 2023 Murder in a Southwest Apartment Building

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Keyshawn Lavender, 23, Deandre Sams, 28, Raymond Mathis, 37, of Washington, D.C., and Deandre Christian, 30, of Fort Washington, MD, were arraigned in Superior Court today on a superseding indictment charging Lavender, Sams, and Mathis with conspiracy to commit robbery, first degree felony murder while armed, and related charges for the September 5, 2023 murder of 32-year-old Matthew Miller. Christian was arraigned on an assault with intent to kill charge for shooting from the balcony of an apartment building. The superseding indictment was announced by United States Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. All four defendants were arraigned before Superior Court Judge Anthony Epstein. According to the superseding indictment, Lavender, Mathis, and Sams conspired to rob and shoot Matthew Miller inside an apartment at 222 M Street, Southwest, Washington, D.C. Christian is charged for an alleged retaliatory shooting immediately after the murder. The defendants entered pleas of not guilty and remain held pending trial. Lavender, Sams, and Mathis are scheduled for trial on September 8, 2025; a trial date for Christian has not yet been set. In announcing the charge, U.S. Attorney Graves commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Prins. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 2024-09-18_superseding_indictment_docketed_9-20.pdf


title: Connecticut U.S. Attorney’s Office Celebrates Annual U.S. Attorney’s Awards

body_text: The United States Attorney’s Office annual law enforcement awards ceremony was celebrated yesterday in New Haven. The ceremony at the City of New Haven’s aldermanic chambers recognized approximately 160 individuals for their investigative work and other contributions to significant federal criminal prosecutions, civil cases, and community engagement efforts in Connecticut. The majority of recipients are members of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including 16 municipal police departments in Connecticut and Massachusetts. “This celebration recognizes the many valuable contributions of law enforcement professionals from police departments in cities and towns across Connecticut, those employed by state and federal agencies, and other dedicated individuals who regularly and actively join us in achieving the Office’s mission,” said U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery. “That singular mission is to do justice – do the right and just thing, in every circumstance. It requires us to always stand firm in furtherance of our three primary and co-equal priorities: upholding the rule of law, safeguarding civil rights, and doing all we can to keep our residents and our communities safe. We know that our law enforcement collaborations have been, and continue to be, essential to achieving that goal, and we thank each recipient for their invaluable commitment. We are stronger and safer because of them.” In addition to criminal and civil case awards that recognized investigators of violent crime, drug trafficking, national security, child exploitation, public corruption, financial fraud, health care fraud, and other matters, U.S. Attorney Avery presented three special awards during the ceremony. The U.S. Attorney’s Award for Outstanding Investigator was presented to FBI New Haven Supervisory Special Agent Wendy Bowersox for her persistence and dedication that led to many federal and state prosecutions of dangerous human traffickers, and her empathy in interacting with trafficking victims, many of whom are often suspicious of law enforcement and fearful, and traumatized by the sexual, physical, and mental abuse they have suffered. Agent Bowersox was recently promoted to the position of profiler at the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit in Quantico, Virginia. The U.S. Attorney’s Outstanding Community Award was presented to DEA Special Agent Jonah Mazzacane and several individuals who have lost family members to overdose, who have presented to thousands of students across Connecticut about the dangers of fentanyl, other opioids, and counterfeit pills, through the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s HEAT program . The U.S. Attorney’s Outstanding Partnership Award was presented to members of the FBI, Connecticut State Police, State’s Attorneys, and Assistant State’s Attorneys, who participate in United Against Hate events across the state. UAH helps raise community awareness about hate crimes, hate incidents, and discrimination, and is building bridges between law enforcement and community, ethnic, and religious groups, particularly those with members who have been reluctant to contact law enforcement for help. U.S. Attorney Avery also recognized members of the FBI, ATF, Bridgeport Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, who recently won an Executive Office for United States Attorneys (EOUSA) Award for Superior Performance by a Litigative Team for their investigation and prosecution of 47 members and associates of three Bridgeport gangs who terrorized city residents from 2015 to 2022. The investigation solved eight murders and approximately 20 attempted murders. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is charged with enforcing federal criminal laws in Connecticut and representing the federal government in civil litigation. The Office is composed of approximately 68 Assistant U.S. Attorneys and 57 staff members at offices in New Haven, Bridgeport, and Hartford. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut, please visit www.justice.gov/ct .


title: Last of Three Men Sentenced for Meth and Fentanyl Conspiracy

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: Three Co-Conspirators to Serve 27 Years Collectively in Federal Prison OKLAHOMA CITY – JAMES BUCHANNON WIYNINGER , 50, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 80 months in federal prison for drug conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. On February 8, 2024, Wiyninger was charged by Superseding Information for his role in a drug conspiracy involving approximately 70 pounds of methamphetamine and four pounds of fentanyl. According to public record, on September 6, 2023, a Wheeler County, Texas Sheriff’s deputy initiated a traffic stop on I-40 of a vehicle occupied by CARLOS ALREDO HERRERA-JIMENEZ , 30, and ARTURO NAJERA-TORRES , 28. Inside the vehicle, law enforcement located two trash bags with the approximately 70 pounds of methamphetamine and four pounds of fentanyl inside. Agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) were able to determine that the drugs were meant to be delivered to a location in Oklahoma City. DEA agents thereafter delivered the drugs as planned to a pickup and another vehicle at an Oklahoma City hotel on September 7, 2023. Law enforcement then followed those vehicles to a metro address, where they arrested Wiyninger without incident. The driver of the other vehicle, JERRY WARD , 53, rammed his vehicle into an Oklahoma Highway Patrol car and tried to flee the scene. Authorities were able to disable Ward’s car, and he was arrested shortly after. This year, Wiyninger, Ward, and Jimenez all pleaded guilty to individual superseding informations, charging each of them with drug conspiracy. At the sentencing hearing on October 7, 2024, U.S. District Judge Jodi W. Dishman sentenced Wiyninger to serve 80 months in federal prison. Ward has been sentenced to serve 200 months, and Jimenez has been sentenced to serve 44 months in federal prison. Torres was scheduled for a combined plea and sentencing hearing in September 2024, but he did not appear. A bench warrant was issued and he remains at large. This case is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Travis Leverett is prosecuting the case. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Member of Bonanno Crime Family Convicted of Extortion of a Witness

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Today, a federal jury in Brooklyn convicted John Ragano, also known as “Bazoo,” a member of the Bonanno organized crime family, for the extortionate collection of credit from a victim. The verdict followed a four-day trial before United States District Judge Hector Gonzalez. When sentenced, Ragano faces up to 20 years in prison. The defendant was acquitted of extortionate collection of credit conspiracy, witness harassment and witness tampering. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the verdict. “The defendant’s extortion of a victim while on pre-trial release, carried out even in the sanctity of the federal courthouse, is an affront to the criminal justice system and a glaring example of this Bonanno mobster’s flagrant disrespect for the law,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “With today’s verdict, the jury has delivered a clear message that the rule of law will prevail over extortionate threats.” “Despite previous arrests and detention, John Ragano tormented his victim to make weekly exorbitant loan payments and enforced humiliating methods when faced with resistance,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Dennehy. “His actions reflected his apathy to the criminal justice system as he repeatedly attempted to extort his victims in the midst of active legal proceedings. Today’s verdict emphasizes the FBI’s intolerance of the mob’s historical inclination to utilize coercive and threatening tactics to fulfill their greedy demands.” In early 2021, John Doe (“the victim”) borrowed $150,000 from Ragano and made interest payments of approximately $1,800 a week to him. On September 14, 2021, Ragano was arrested in connection with the extortionate loan to the victim, as well as separate schemes to traffic marijuana and commit fraud. While Ragano was on pre-trial detention in that case, and after he was released on bond from the Metropolitan Detention Center in December 2021, he continued to try to collect the 2021 loan from the victim. On November 28, 2022, Ragano pleaded guilty in connection with his loan to the victim. In 2022 and 2023, despite Ragano’s arrest, court supervision, guilty plea and sentence of 57 months’ imprisonment, he continued to extort the victim on the 2021 loan, including at status conferences held at the federal courthouse. On March 25, 2023, the victim recorded a meeting with Co-Conspirator #1 who explained that Ragano wanted the entire amount of the loan repaid and that “nobody’s looking for anybody to get hurt.” On July 5, 2023, the victim went to a used auto parts yard where Ragano worked to discuss the loan and recorded the meeting. The victim told Ragano that he was going to stop repaying the loan. Ragano accused the victim of cooperating with the government and demanded that he remove all his clothes. Ragano stated: “Okay, well then take off your f-----g s—t right now my man. Take off your f-----g pants right now, lemme see, I want to see.” At Ragano’s insistence, the victim complied and took off all his clothing. At that point, two men at the business walked up behind Ragano, one of whom was holding metal tools. Ragano then demanded the victim pay the money the defendant believed he was owed. Despite being forced to strip naked, the victim was still able to record the confrontation. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Devon Lash and Andrew D. Reich are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Kristina Kim. The Defendant : JOHN RAGANO Age: 62 Franklin Square, Long Island E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-50 (HG)


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 Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on Oct. 11 was: Johntay Jujuan Taylor, 27, of Texas, on charges of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud. If convicted of the most serious crime, Taylor faces a maximum of 30 years in prison, a $1 million fine and five years of supervised release. Taylor was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI; U.S. Secret Service; Chubbock, Pocatello and Kemmerer, Idaho, Police departments; Bannock County, Idaho, Sheriff’s Office; Idaho State Police; Missoula, Bozeman, Helena, Livingston and Laurel, Montana, Police departments; Yellowstone County, Montana, Sheriff’s Office; Teton County, Wyoming, Sheriff’s Office; and Evanston and Mountain View, Wyoming, Police departments conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 23-13. Appearing Oct. 10 was: Keegan Allan Strelnik, 42, of Florence, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Strelnik faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Strelnik was released pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Probation Office and Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-54. Nicole Lynn Shain, 39, of Bonners Ferry, Idaho, on charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. If convicted of the most serious crime, Shain faces a mandatory minimum of five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release. Shain was detained pending further proceedings. Homeland Security Investigations and the Flathead Tribal Police Department conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-50. 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: Lewiston Man Arrested for Methamphetamine Trafficking

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Lewiston man has been arrested for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Muktar Abshir (Mo) Aden , 25, was arrested at his residence in downtown Lewiston today on an arrest warrant issued by the court. He made his first appearance in U.S. District Court in Portland today. This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with assistance from the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, Maine State Police and Lewiston Police Department. A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: More indicted in nationwide business email compromise scheme

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A total of seven people in multiple states have been charged in a superseding indictment related to a large business email compromise (BEC) scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Authorities have now arrested Houston resident Amber Bush, 29. She is expected to make her initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina A. Bryan Oct. 15 at 2 p.m. The three-count superseding indictment also charges Houston residents Bolaji Okunnu, 30, and Philip Ogbeide Jr., 34, along with Ayodeji Okunnu, 25, Austin; Victor Rubio Jr., 27, and Bougar Robert Linares Soto, 42, both of Los Angeles, California. Another Houston resident - Destini Godfrey, 30 – is considered a fugitive and a warrant remains outstanding for his arrest. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact the FBI at 713-693-5000. All are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. The BEC scheme involved deceiving victims into sending money to others and causing millions in losses, according to the charges. Conspirators allegedly posed as legitimate businesses and fraudulently diverted money from victim bank accounts into accounts they controlled. According to the allegations, they gained access to business email accounts and spoofed email addresses to deceive victims into believing they were making legitimate payments. The superseding indictment indicates fraudulently diverted payments from numerous victims throughout the United States, including a financial services company from Oregon, a township in New Jersey, a demolition company in Texas, a healthcare liability insurance company in Georgia and a nutrition products manufacturer outside Texas. Conspirators allegedly used email accounts to request payment for services to be sent to new bank accounts that did not belong to the vendor, according to the charges. They allegedly deceived victims into wiring millions to fraudulent bank accounts the conspirators opened instead of actually paying the vendor. The charges further allege conspirators laundered the funds in a manner designed to conceal the source, ownership and control of the funds by quickly transferring the money from the receiving account to other bank accounts they controlled. They then withdrew the fraud proceeds incrementally in cash, according to the charges. If convicted, they face up to 20 years in prison on the conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy charges as well as five years for the money laundering and illegal money transmitting charge. Each charge carries a possible $250,000 maximum fine. The FBI-Bryan Resident Agency and IRS-Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation with valuable assistance from the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office and the Edison Police Department in New Jersey and other law enforcement agencies and U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the United States. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Belinda Beek and James Hu are prosecuting the case. An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Fraudulent developer imprisoned for spending over $500,000 of investor’s funds on vacations and mortgage

body_text: HOUSTON – A 48-year-old Houston resident has been sentenced for wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Walter Salek pleaded guilty April 5 to his involvement in a fraudulent scheme to obtain more than $1 million and falsely informing an investor the funds would be used to develop real estate. U.S. District Judge Sim Lake has now ordered Salek to serve 15 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. He must also pay the victim $571,000 in restitution. At the hearing, the court heard additional testimony from the victim that described how Salek portrayed himself as a successful real estate developer who flew around in private jets and was letting the victim in on investments that before had only been available to Salek’s family. The victim testified that the worst part was not the fraud, but that Salek betrayed his trust by taking his money when Salek knew the victim’s wife was dying and leaving him with three children to raise. In handing down the prison sentence, the court noted that Salek’s claim he engaged in the fraud during a “manic episode” could not be true because the fraud and cover-up went on for years. “Walter Salek took money from a friend who was in the midst of a family tragedy,” said Hamdani. “Instead of investing the money, he used it to live an extravagant lifestyle that included things like traveling by private jet, a $100,000 family vacation to Scotland and mortgage payments on a brownstone in Boston and his multi-million dollar house here in Houston. Today’s sentence demonstrates that everyone, even people living like the top 1%, will be held accountable for their criminal conduct.” “Walter Salek committed clear-cut fraud, lived a care-free life until he got caught and will now spend time in federal prison for his crime,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams of the FBI Houston field office. “Salek took advantage of a friend’s long-time trust and money to invest in his fraudulent property ventures. He let his personal greed supersede that friendship and any potential opportunity for lawful prosperity.” At the time of the plea, Salek admitted between 2019 and 2021, he entered into agreements with an investor to develop real estate in the Houston area. As per the agreement, Salek was to contribute real estate and the investor was to provide cash to develop the properties. Once developed, properties were to be either leased or sold. The investor believed the funds would be used for the developments and deposited over $1 million into business bank accounts that Salek controlled through use of interstate wire communications. However, Salek diverted at least $571,000 of the investment funds for his own personal use on mortgage payments and luxury vacations. Salek was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Belinda Beek prosecuted the case.


title: Russian woman charged with attacking CBP officer

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Olesia Sumina, 43, of Russia, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with assault on a federal officer, which carries a maximum penalty of eight years in prison. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew J. Henning, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on October 9, 2024, Sumina traveled to Canada with her two children to file an asylum claim. The claim was refused by Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), which resulted in Sumina being driven by CBSA to the Peace Bridge Point of Entry. CBSA officers informed Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers that Sumina became difficult to deal with during transport and that she had spit inside their vehicle. CBP officers attempted to interview Sumina utilizing a language translation application but were unsuccessful. Sumina was uncooperative throughout the interview and was also reluctant to provide her personal information. As officers attempted to gain access to Sumina’s cellular telephone, she grabbed the phone and quickly put it in her pocket. As officers attempted to retrieve the phone, Sumina quickly became aggressive towards them. As they attempted to render control, Sumina grabbed their shirts and scratched and dug into one officer’s wrists and left hand. Following the altercation, medical aid was administered to the officer’s wounds from the altercation by a colleague before she was transported to the hospital for further treatment. The complaint is the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Repeat Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of a Firearm After Shootout at Gas Station

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A convicted felon has pleaded guilty to illegal possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, on March 17, 2023, Samit Mao, 43, entered a gas station in St. Paul and tried unsuccessfully to purchase a cash card using reward points. Mao then punched the glass window in front of the cash register with one hand and was asked to leave the store by a cashier and a security guard. After the security guard and Mao exited the store, they exchanged gunfire. Mao was hit in the left arm. The defendant entered his car and fled the scene. Responding officers apprehended Mao in his vehicle nearby the gas station. Underneath Mao’s seat in the vehicle, officers recovered a Springfield model Hellcat 9mm semiautomatic pistol containing eight rounds and a round in the chamber. Because Mao has multiple prior felony convictions, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time. Mao pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court before Judge Michael J. Davis to one count of illegal possession of a firearm as a felon. A sentencing hearing will take place at a later date. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the St. Paul Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew S. Ebert is prosecuting the case.


title: Repeat Felon Sentenced to Over Seven Years in Prison for Possession of Firearm

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – An Oakdale man has been sentenced to 90 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegally possessing a firearm as a felon, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, on February 13, 2023, an officer from the New Hope Police Department initiated a traffic stop after observing a maroon Chevy Suburban commit several traffic violations. The officer noticed the smell of marijuana as he approached the vehicle and saw drug paraphernalia in the center console. Officers subsequently searched the vehicle and found a Glock model 17 GEN5 9mm caliber pistol equipped with a switch and a large capacity magazine hidden in a compartment underneath the cupholders. They also found a second large capacity magazine and additional ammunition on the driver’s side of the vehicle. DNA from the firearm’s textured grip and slide serrations matched the driver, Detroit Davis-Riley, 35. It was also later discovered that the firearm had previously been reported as stolen. Because Davis-Riley has multiple prior felony convictions in Hennepin County, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time. On March 14, 2024, Davis-Riley pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm as a felon. He was sentenced on October 9, 2024, in U.S. District Court by Judge Michael J. Davis. This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the New Hope Police Department, Crystal Police Department, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary S. Riverso prosecuted the case.


title: U.S. Army Soldier Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison For Attempting to Assist ISIS to Conduct Deadly Ambush on U.S. Troops

body_text: Cole Bridges, also known as Cole Gonzales, 24, of Stow, Ohio, was sentenced to 168 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and attempting to murder U.S. military service members, based on his efforts to assist the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) to attack and kill U.S. soldiers in the Middle East. Bridges pleaded guilty to terrorism charges on June 14, 2023. According to court documents, Bridges joined the U.S. Army in approximately September 2019 and was assigned as a cavalry scout in the Third Infantry Division based in Fort Stewart, Georgia. Before he joined the Army, beginning in at least 2019, Bridges began researching and consuming online propaganda promoting jihadists and their violent ideology, and began to express his support for ISIS and jihad on social media. In or about October 2020, approximately one year after joining the Army, Bridges began communicating with an FBI online covert employee (the OCE), who was posing as an ISIS supporter in contact with ISIS fighters in the Middle East. During these communications, Bridges expressed his frustration with the U.S. military and his desire to aid ISIS. Bridges then provided training and guidance to purported ISIS fighters who were planning attacks, including advice about potential targets in New York City. Bridges also provided the OCE with portions of a U.S. Army training manual and guidance about military combat tactics, with the understanding that the materials would be used by ISIS in future attack planning. In or about December 2020, Bridges began to supply the OCE with instructions for the purported ISIS fighters on how to attack U.S. forces in the Middle East. Among other things, Bridges diagrammed specific military maneuvers intended to help ISIS fighters maximize the lethality of future attacks on U.S. troops. Bridges also provided advice about the best way to fortify an ISIS encampment to ambush U.S. Special Forces, including by wiring certain buildings with explosives to kill the U.S. troops. Then, in January 2021, Bridges provided the OCE with a video of himself in his U.S. Army body armor standing in front of a flag often used by ISIS fighters and making a gesture symbolic of support for ISIS. Approximately one week later, Bridges sent a second video in which Bridges, using a voice manipulator, narrated a propaganda speech in support of the anticipated ambush by ISIS on U.S. troops. The FBI's New York Joint Terrorism Task Force investigated the case, with valuable assistance provided by the FBI field offices in Washington, Atlanta, and Cleveland; U.S. Army Counterintelligence, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command, and U.S. Army Third Infantry Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sam Adelsberg and Matthew Hellman for the Southern District of New York prosecuted the case, with assistance from Trial Attorney Michael Dittoe of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.


title: Former School Janitor Pleads Guilty To Child Pornography Charges

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Bradley Arkesteyn, 29, of Kent County, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography. Arkesteyn is scheduled to be sentenced on February 12, 2025, and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. “Child exploitation cases are some of our most critical as we work to protect our most vulnerable: our children,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten . “While thankfully the evidence in this case did not reveal any hands-on abuse of children, there is everlasting harm suffered by the victims whose images were traded on the internet by Mr. Arkesteyn. I am proud of the law enforcement work to hold him accountable.” In pleading guilty, Arkesteyn admitted to possessing over 700 images of child pornography, some involving children who had not yet reached puberty. As described in more detail in the criminal complaint, Arkesteyn posted images and videos of child pornography in a social media group called “kiddo only.” Arkseteyn also communicated privately with an undercover FBI task force officer about a sexual interest in children and his work as a custodian in a Kent County elementary school. The relevant school district was notified. “Today's conviction of Bradley Arkesteyn sends a stern message to those who commit crimes involving our children that they will be investigated and arrested by members of the FBI and our law enforcement partners in Michigan. Mr. Arkseteyn used his position as a school janitor to feed his sexual interest in children,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Michigan. “The members from FBI Michigan, alongside task force officers from the West Michigan Based Child Exploitation Task Force, worked tirelessly to investigate this crime, and their dedicated work contributed to the conviction of a sexual predator.” 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, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Individuals with information or concerns about possible child exploitation should contact local law enforcement officials. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating this case. ###