title: Former officer receives 20 years for raping woman while on duty

body_text: HOUSTON – A 29-year-old Houston and former officer for the Arcola Police Department has been sentenced following his conviction for obstruction of justice and violation of civil rights, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Hector Aaron Ruiz pleaded guilty Jan. 19. U.S. District Judge Charles Eskridge has now sentenced Ruiz to a total of 20 years in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. “Ruiz was not only a predator but a predator with a badge,” said Hamdani. “During a traffic stop, he raped a young woman he was sworn to serve and to protect, violently breaking a fundamental promise law enforcement makes with any community. The U.S. Attorney’s office is relentless in its pursuit to bring to justice officers who betray their uniform and oaths, committing heinous acts against members of our community. Today’s sentence is the fruit of that pursuit.” “Hector Ruiz mistakenly believed he was protected by his uniform and badge and operated as a calculating predator who targeted and sexually assaulted his victim during a traffic stop,” said FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams. “We thank the courageous woman who bravely confronted Mr. Ruiz in court to ensure he faced justice for his crime against her. As law enforcement officers, there’s nothing we despise more than those who disgrace the badge, betray the oath to protect our community and violate the public’s trust.” On Nov. 16, 2019, Ruiz was on duty and pulled over a 23-year-old woman to conduct a traffic stop in the middle of the night. He told her to “convince” him to not take her to jail, then took her driver’s license and ordered her to follow him. When she tried to drive off, Ruiz pulled her over again and repeated his command. He eventually drove her to a neighborhood, which was under construction at the time, forced her to drink alcohol and coerced her to have sex with him. The victim came forward the same day and identified Ruiz as her rapist. The investigation revealed Ruiz had disabled his body microphone and the active recording system in his police cruiser. Authorities also found a text message the victim sent to a friend while Ruiz was making her follow him. In it, she said she thought she was going to die Forensic analysis further confirmed Ruiz was her rapist. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The FBI and Texas Rangers conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sharad S. Khandelwal and Sebastian Edwards prosecuted the case.


title: Kentucky Man Pleads Guilty and Is Sentenced for Federal Hate Crime Targeting Children Online

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: A Kentucky man pleaded guilty and was sentenced last week to one year and one day in prison and one year of supervised release in the District of Eastern Louisiana for committing a federal hate crime. According to court documents, Brian Adams, 24, of Paintsville, Kentucky, transmitted a threat to a fifth-grade class at the Laureate Academy Charter School on or about Oct. 14, 2020. At the time, the school was conducting class virtually over Zoom due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, Adams used racial epithets against the students and teachers and threatened to “hang them by a tree.” Adams pleaded guilty to one count of transmitting threatening communications. The court found that Adams’ actions were motivated by hate. “This prosecution should make clear that perpetrators of hate crimes hiding behind computer screens, hacking into teleconferences and disrupting virtual meetings will be held accountable. The defendant used racial epithets and threats against innocent children who were simply trying to get an education,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “No child should ever have to endure racially motivated hatred like this in a classroom, a school or anywhere else. The Justice Department is committed to protecting children from such hate-filled assaults and to safeguarding their right to a safe and secure education.” “Citizens should not fear threats based on their race at any time and especially for students while pursuing their education,” said U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans for the Eastern District of Louisiana. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working closely with federal, state and local law enforcement to ensure hate crimes are investigated, prosecuted and to ultimately hold perpetrators responsible for their actions.” “Hate has no place in our country, especially in a fifth-grade classroom,” said Special Agent in Charge Lyonel Myrthil of the FBI New Orleans Field Office. “Protecting the rights of all Americans under the Constitution is the heart of the FBI's mission.” The FBI New Orleans Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey N. Knight for the Eastern District of Louisiana prosecuted the case, with assistance from Trial Attorney Mary Hahn of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.


title: Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Trafficker Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Dennis Francis Kaleohano Kelly, 45, of Tucson, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 14 years in prison. Kelly pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and Methamphetamine, Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, and International Money Laundering on November 17, 2023. Between November 2020 and August 2021, Kelly supervised and directed several co-conspirators to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl on his behalf. Kelly personally mailed multiple packages of methamphetamine to Hawaii and New Mexico for further distribution, and wired thousands of dollars of drug proceeds to the source of supply in Mexico. Kelly was arrested in August 2021 after receiving approximately 10,000 fentanyl pills from a drug courier. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force operation. The OCDETF Strike Force Initiative identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorneys Ashley Culver and David Petermann, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR 21-02360-TUC-JGZ RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-081_Kelly # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: KC Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Steal Firearms from Vehicles

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy in which five men broke into numerous vehicles in the Westport entertainment district and elsewhere in the metropolitan area and stole more than 100 firearms, which they later sold on their social media accounts. Bobby Lamb, 22, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 11 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Lamb to pay $1,500 in restitution. On Sept. 29, 2023, Lamb pleaded guilty to conspiracy to receive, possess, and dispose of stolen firearms. Lamb also pleaded guilty to possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and possessing a stolen firearm. Lamb admitted that he participated in a conspiracy to break into vehicles and steal firearms and other items. Conspirators used social media to advertise the stolen firearms for sale, which included sales to individuals who were prohibited by law from possessing firearms. According to court documents, Lamb and his co-conspirators stole more than 100 firearms obtained from vehicle break-ins from June 18 to Nov. 19, 2021. When Lamb was arrested on Sept. 16, 2021, he was in possession of a stolen Glock 9mm handgun. Lamb is the first defendant to be sentenced in this case. Four co-defendants, all of Kansas City, Mo., have pleaded guilty and await sentencing. Drevion Hooker, 22, is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 4, 2024. Rayquan Duane Pettaway, 25, is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 28, 2024. Treyon Bloodsoe, 22, is scheduled to be sentenced on July 24, 2024. Roy Rushing, 26, is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 2, 2024. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stefan C. Hughes. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.


title: Philadelphia Man Charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Felon

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA –United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Nafiysh Knox-Schenck, 32, of Philadelphia, PA, was arrested and charged by Indictment with possession of a firearm by a felon stemming from an incident on May 13, 2024, in which he resisted arrest by Philadelphia police based on an outstanding arrest warrant. According to the Indictment, on May 13, 2024, Knox-Schenck resisted arrest when two police officers attempted to place him into custody based on an outstanding arrest warrant. While struggling with the officers, Knox-Schenck pulled a loaded firearm from his waistband and then tossed it into the street. Another person then took the firearm and tossed it into a nearby wooded lot. After a struggle, the officers were able to get Knox-Schenck handcuffed and placed him in their vehicle. While the officers went to retrieve the firearm, someone opened the door to the police vehicle and Knox-Schneck was able to escape police custody. Philadelphia police officers then obtained another arrest warrant for the defendant and with the assistance of the United States Marshals Service were able to arrest Knox-Schneck on May 15, 2024. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year period of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Eckert and Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General Special Assistant United States Attorney Tracie J. Gaydos. An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Sioux City Man Sentenced for Possession of a Firearm as a Felon and Drug User

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A Sioux City man who barricaded himself inside his residence, with a firearm when sheriff’s deputies attempted to serve a protection order was sentenced June 21, 2024, to more than 2 years in federal prison. Gabriel Krusen, age 46, from Sioux City, received the prison term after a February 13, 2024, guilty plea to one-count of possession of a firearm by a felon and drug user. Evidence in the case revealed Woodbury County Sheriff’s deputies attempting to serve a protection order on Krusen were met with resistance and evasion as Krusen either fled when he observed law enforcement, or would barricade himself inside of his residence with barrels, barbed wire, and other obstacles. Krusen also kept a shotgun near the barricaded door. On the night of July 31, 2023, Sheriff’s Deputies were able to take defendant into custody on multiple driving violations and served him with the protection order. During the subsequent execution of a search warrant, paraphernalia, methamphetamine, marijuana, and the firearm were seized. On February 3, 2024, while Krusen was on pre-trial release, deputies with the Woodbury County Sheriff’s office were dispatched to disturbance at Krusen’s residence, where an assault had taken place. Members of the SWAT team were called to assist with the arrest of the defendant because of his past, and used an armored vehicle to approach Krusen. Krusen eventually surrendered without further incident. The defendant was arrested and charged with domestic abuse assault- injury or mental illness. These charges are pending in the Woodbury County, Iowa District Court. Krusen was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 34 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. Krusen is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was investigated by Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-4069. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Leader of South Shore Drug Trafficking Ring Convicted by Federal Jury

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – The leader of a large-scale drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed fentanyl, fentanyl analogue and cocaine throughout Quincy and Weymouth has been convicted by a federal jury in Boston. Aderito Patrick Amado, 34, of Brockton and Quincy, was convicted on June 21, 2024 of two counts of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue and 500 grams or more of cocaine – and conspiracy to do the same; one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of fentanyl analogue; one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl; two counts of possessing firearms as a convicted felon; and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug offense. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Oct. 8, 2024. In September 2022, Amado was indicted by a federal grand jury along with co-defendants Erica Vieira, Neylton Fontes and Chaasad Cyprien. The defendants were subsequently charged in a superseding indictment in December 2022 and, later, a second superseding indictment in October 2023 . Amado was charged in a third superseding indictment in May 2024. “This case is emblematic of the fentanyl crisis facing our communities. Dozens of pounds of illegal drugs, high-capacity firearms, and hundreds of thousands of dollars all in the hands of a man while he was already on probation for a state drug conviction. Mr. Amado will now pay a severe price for choosing to pump this poison onto the streets of Massachusetts,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Mr. Amado had drugs, cash and guns everywhere – in his apartment and his stash house. Given the unrelenting scourge of illegal drugs and overdose deaths, this office is as committed as ever to prosecuting drug-dealing criminals. This case should serve as a warning to others: if you want to engage in illicit narcotics activities, we will find you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.” “Aderito Patrick Amado was part of a conspiracy that brought in and sold vast amounts of fentanyl and cocaine all over southeastern Massachusetts. We’re talking multi-kilo quantities of dangerous drugs that he protected using illegal firearms,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Today’s conviction is a win for the FBI’s Metro Boston Gang Task Force as we work with our partners to get dangerous drugs and criminals off the street. The ultimate goal here is to free our communities from the clutches of violent drug traffickers who have zero regard for the incredible damage they inflict on people’s lives.” “I would like to thank the Detectives assigned to the Quincy Police Drug Control Unit, our local, state and federal partners and particularly the prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s office for bringing this case forward. Taking this individual off the streets undoubtedly saved lives in our community,” said Quincy Police Chief Mark Kennedy. Until at least January 2021, Amado helped lead a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, fentanyl analogue and cocaine in and around the Quincy and Weymouth areas. The investigation determined that the drug distribution conspiracy operated primarily out of a stash house in Weymouth, with additional evidence located inside Amado’s apartment in Quincy and his Jeep Cherokee. Specifically, a January 2021 search of Amado’s Quincy apartment resulted in over 40 grams of fentanyl, over $270,000 in cash, a money counter and a loaded Glock being recovered. Additionally, the Weymouth stash house was, in essence, a drug factory – housing two presses used to form controlled substances into kilogram-sized bricks and extensive drug paraphernalia, including blenders, digital scales and packaging equipment. The stash house also contained more than 10 kilograms of fentanyl, fentanyl analogue and cocaine as well as three firearms and ammunition, including two high-capacity magazines and a speed loader. Given Amado’s status as a felon, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm. Evidence presented at trial included information from a court-ordered GPS ankle monitor that placed Amado at both his residence and the stash location essentially every day over a two-month period while on probation for a state drug conviction. Additionally, web history information from one of Amado’s devices showed that he conducted online reviews of various items ultimately recovered from the stash house, including the kilogram presses, firearms and cutting agents. Vieira pleaded guilty in May 2024 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 4, 2024. Fontes pleaded guilty in May 2024 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 16, 2024 and Cyprien pleaded guilty in April 2024 and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 17, 2024. The charge of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue, 500 grams or more of cocaine, and conspiracy to do the same, provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. The charge of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug offense provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to life in prison, to be served from and after the term of imprisonment imposed for any other count, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy, FBI SAC Cohen and Chief Kennedy made the announcement. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Weymouth, Braintree, Randolph and Brockton Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaitlin R. O’Donnell and Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit are prosecuting the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: ‘King’ of Violent Haitian Gang Sentenced to 35 Years for Gun Smuggling and Money Laundering

component: Criminal - Office of International Affairs

body_text: WASHINGTON – Joly Germine, 31, of Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti, was sentenced today to 35 years in prison for his role in a gunrunning conspiracy that smuggled firearms to Haiti in violation of U.S. export laws, and the laundering of ransoms paid for U.S. hostages held by the notoriously violent Haitian gang known as 400 Mawozo. Eliande Tunis, 46, of Pompano Beach, Florida, who styled herself as Germine’s “wife” and was described at trial as the “Queen” of 400 Mawozo, was sentenced on June 5, 2024, to 150 months in prison for her role in the conspiracy. Two other defendants in the conspiracy were also sentenced to jail time for their involvement. The sentencings were announced by U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI Miami Field Office. The conspiracy resulted in the purchase in the United States of at least 24 firearms, including weapons designed for the military and close-quarters combat such as AK-47s, AR-15s, an M4 Carbine rifle, an M1A rifle, and a .50 caliber rifle, which were smuggled from the United States to the gang in Haiti to further their criminal activities. Those firearms were bought using funds laundered from the proceeds of the hostage taking for ransom of U.S. citizens in Haiti in 2021. “A leader of the Haitian gang known as 400 Mawozo will now spend 35 years in prison for a scheme to smuggle guns from the United States to Haiti using the proceeds extorted from kidnapping American citizens,” said U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The leaders of violent gangs in Haiti that terrorize Americans citizens in order to fuel their criminal activity will be met with the full force of the Justice Department.” “All too often, Americans in Haiti have been targets of gang violence,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “These two defendants not only helped lead a prominent violent gang in Haiti, but they were also intimately involved in arming the gang and laundering ransom proceeds the gang obtained from kidnapping Americans. These sentences send a message that those who engage in such violence against Americans, and who arm and launder money on behalf of these violent gangs, will pay a heavy price.” “As Joly Germine and Eliande Tunis have just learned, the FBI is dedicated to disrupting and dismantling gangs who undertake hostage-taking of U.S. Citizens anywhere,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI Miami Field Office. “This includes taking away their ability to wreak violence on the innocent using smuggled firearms.” Germine, a Haitian national, pleaded guilty on January 31, 2024, to the 48-count second superseding indictment, which charged him with conspiring to violate U.S. export control laws and to defraud the United States, violating export control laws, smuggling, and laundering the proceeds of ransoms paid to free U.S. hostages taken by the gang and laundering money to promote his crimes. Germine’s plea came at the end of the government’s case at trial, which included the testimony of 24 witnesses and two weeks of evidence. Germine’s co-defendant Tunis, who had a supervisory role in the conspiracy, pleaded guilty on the eve of trial on January 17, 2024, to the same 48-count indictment, and was sentenced on June 5 to 150 months in prison. Other co-defendants, Jocelyn Dor, 31, and Walder St. Louis, 35, who acted as a straw gun purchasers for Germine and Tunis, both pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 60 months and 36 months, respectively, for their roles in the gun-smuggling and money laundering scheme. According to evidence presented at trial, from at least March through November 2021, Germine, Tunis, and two co-defendants conspired with each other and with other gang members in Haiti to acquire and supply firearms to the 400 Mawozo gang in Haiti. Germine directed the gang’s operations from a Haitian prison using unmonitored cell phones, including directing gang members in Haiti to transfer money to Tunis and others in the United States for the purpose of obtaining firearms for the gang. Germine then provided Tunis and the two other U.S.-based co-defendants, all Florida residents, specifications for firearms and ammunition that Germine and other gang leaders wanted sent to Haiti. Tunis and the two co-defendants then purchased at least 24 rifles, handguns, and a shotgun at Florida gun shops while falsely stating that they were the “actual buyers” of the firearms, when they were in fact acting as straw purchasers for Germine. In May 2021, Tunis smuggled firearms and ammunition to Haiti in containers disguised as food and household goods. In October 2021, Tunis attempted to ship additional firearms and ammunition to Haiti, again by smuggling the firearms, but those firearms were seized by the FBI before they left the United States. 400 Mawozo is a violent Haitian gang that operated in the Croix-des-Bouquets area to the east of the capital, Port-au-Prince. From at least January 12, 2020, 400 Mawozo was engaged in armed hostage takings of U.S. citizens in Haiti for ransom. The victims generally had been forced from their vehicles at gunpoint and kept in various locations by armed gang members while their relatives and colleagues negotiated payment for their release. At trial, the government presented evidence that the gang received ransom payments from the hostage taking of three U.S. citizens in the summer of 2021, who testified at trial, and the cash ransom proceeds were commingled with the gang’s funds and transferred via MoneyGram and Western Union from the United States to Haiti to buy more firearms. In the fall of 2021, the 400 Mawozo gang claimed responsibility for taking 16 U.S. citizens hostage, including five children, and one Canadian citizen who were part of a missionary organization visiting an orphanage in Port-au-Prince. The gang demanded a ransom of $1 million for each hostage. The hostages were all released or had escaped by December 16, 2021. While Germine has been charged in a separate indictment in relation to that hostage-taking incident, today’s sentencing does not address those charges, which are lodged in case number 22cr161 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. An indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. The FBI Miami Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the government of Haiti, particularly the Haitian National Police, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the Diplomatic Security Service of the U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida’s Special Prosecutions Section. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen P. Seifert and Kimberly Paschall and Paralegal Specialist Jorge Casillas for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Beau Barnes of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. 21cr699


title: Statements from Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual and FBI SAC Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Following the Sentencing in U.S. v. Edward M. Burke

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Below are statements from Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI Chicago Field Office, following the sentencing today in U.S. v. Edward M. Burke : “Corruption in the Chicago City Council tears at the fabric of a vital body of local government,” said Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. “When an alderman fails to discharge his duties with honesty and integrity, he betrays not only the citizens of Chicago, but his fellow public officials who do their jobs the right way. Our office will continue to vigorously prosecute corruption and hold public officials accountable for violating the public trust.” “Aldermen are elected by their constituents to advocate for the public good,” said Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI Chicago Field Office. “Bribery and extortion are contrary to that simple mission, and today’s sentencing highlights the consequences of betraying the public’s trust for one’s own illegal gains. The FBI is proud to work with partners at all levels of government to stamp out public corruption in northern Illinois.”


title: Kayenta Resident Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Making Hoax Calls to Elicit SWAT Responses

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – James Thomas Andrew McCarty, 21, of New Mexico, was sentenced last week to seven years in prison after pleading guilty to charges in two separate indictments relating to hoax calls that elicited police SWAT responses. With respect to the indictment originating from the District of Arizona, McCarty pleaded guilty on February 1, 2024, to making two hoax calls to high schools in Indiana and Oklahoma using the names of real students at the high schools he called. McCarty also pleaded guilty to two separate crimes of aggravated identity theft since he used the identity of an actual individual during these calls. On January 25, 2021, McCarty made repetitive hoax calls to two different high schools. In the first series of hoax calls to a high school in Indiana, McCarty called school officials representing that he was a student at the school, while using the real name of a student there, and that he was outside the school with an AR-15 rifle, a Glock handgun, and propane bottles ready to shoot at the school. In the second series of hoax calls about 20 minutes later to a high school in Oklahoma, McCarty called school officials representing that he was a student at the school, while using the real name of a student there, and that he was outside of the school with an AR-15 rifle, a Glock handgun, and propane tanks ready to shoot the propane tanks before coming into the school. McCarty also pleaded guilty to two hoax calls he made on April 16, 2021, and May 20, 2021. He used the name of the same homeowner in both calls, stating to police that he had killed his wife, would kill everyone, blow up the residence, and had four bombs planted outside of a retail location. McCarty was a resident of Kayenta and made all his calls while residing there. With respect to the indictment originating from the Central District of California, McCarty pleaded guilty on February 1, 2024, to conspiracy by working with others to access Ring doorbell accounts. On November 13, 2020, McCarty made an unauthorized intrusion into a victim’s Ring doorbell account in Florida, called the police in that Florida community where the victim lived, and represented himself to be the victim’s husband who had just killed her, was holding a hostage, and had rigged explosives at the residence. McCarty then livestreamed the law enforcement response and posted a message that he thought it was funny. McCarty also made multiple calls to victims in California. This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Arizona and Los Angeles, California offices. Valuable assistance was provided by South Plainfield (New Jersey) Police Department, Snellville (Georgia) Police Department, Forsyth County (Georgia) Sheriff’s Office, Westfield (Indiana) Police Department, Vinita (Oklahoma) Police Department, and Parma (Ohio) Police Department. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, and the United States Attorney’s Office in the Central District of California, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR 22-08133-PHX-SPL (Original District of Arizona Indictment) CR 24-00122-PHX-SPL (Originally Central District of CA—Rule 20) RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-082_McCarty # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Hawaiian Gardens Man Found Guilty of Selling Fentanyl to  18-Year-Old Victim Who Later Suffered Fatal Overdose

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A Hawaiian Gardens man was found guilty by a jury today of selling purported black tar heroin that in fact was fentanyl to an 18-year-old victim who later ingested it and suffered a fatal overdose from the powerful synthetic opioid. Gregory Hevener, 47, was found guilty of one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin. He has been in federal custody since February 2022. According to evidence presented at a seven-day trial, in November 2020, the victim responded to an ad placed by Hevener on the website OfferUp, an online marketplace. The listing advertised the sale of “BLACK TAR ROOFING MATERIALS!!” – coded language for black tar heroin – in Long Beach. OfferUp records revealed Hevener operated or had access to several accounts on the platform, in which he advertised and distributed drugs, including heroin and fentanyl. Hevener and the victim met in Hawaiian Gardens and the victim purchased what he believed to be heroin from Hevener. Instead, Hevener sold what was a black, tar-like substance containing fentanyl and tramadol, a pain-relief medication. The victim then drove home and took the drugs, suffering a fatal overdose. In July and October 2021, law enforcement searched trash cans outside of Hevener’s residence in Hawaiian Gardens and seized discarded plastic bags and burnt pieces of tinfoil containing fentanyl and tramadol residue. Another search in December 2021 resulted in the seizure of a plastic bag containing approximately 245 grams of black tar heroin, a digital scale, burnt tin foil, and a plastic bag containing approximately 1.2 grams of fentanyl. United States District Judge Mark C. Scarsi scheduled a September 16 sentencing hearing, at which time Hevener will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the El Monte Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Kellye Ng and Maria Jhai of the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Kyle W. Kahan of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section are prosecuting this case.


title: Tahoe City Resident Pleads Guilty to Smuggling Injurious Amphibians into the United States

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Andrew Laughlin, 47, of Tahoe City, pleaded guilty today to one count of smuggling goods into the United States, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, Laughlin acted as a “middleman” in an international amphibian smuggling ring. In a conversation with an undercover agent, Laughlin admitted that he participated in the ring in order to acquire hard-to-find newts. He shipped or received at least four packages of amphibians, including packages to or from individuals located in Hong Kong and Sweden. The packages were falsely labeled as items including a “toy car,” “rubber toys,” or “a ceramic art piece.” In reality, the boxes contained live animals including Eastern Box turtles, spotted turtles, fire belly newts, Asian warty newts, and newts native to California. Certain of the defendant’s shipments contained injurious species prohibited from being imported into the United States because their introduction could harm the ecosystems and natural resources of the United States. A search warrant executed on the defendant’s residence uncovered 81 live newts of various species. Some seized newts tested positive for Bd , a virulent fungi which originated in Asia and is spread through the illegal pet trade. Scientists estimate that Bd has caused significant declines in the populations of more than 500 species, more than 90 of which are presumed extinct. This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine T. Lydon is prosecuting the case. Laughlin is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb on Oct. 7, 2024. Under the plea agreement, Laughlin agrees to pay restitution for the costs of caring for and testing the seized newts. He also agrees as part of his plea agreement to undertake a voluntary public education campaign at his kayaking store about the harms of illegal amphibian trafficking. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. Several of the newts seized via search warrant from Laughlin’s residence.


title: Tehama County Man Pleads Guilty to Online Enticement of a Minor for Sexual Purposes

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Eduardo Castillo, 39, of Corning, pleaded guilty today to one count of online enticement of a minor for sexual purposes, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. Castillo had previously fled to Mexico to avoid prosecution; however, he was returned to the United States in August 2023 thanks to the collaboration of the FBI, Mexican law enforcement officials, and Mexican immigration officials. According to court documents, between July 13, 2020, and Aug. 27, 2020, Castillo used a cellphone and the internet to entice at least five minor victims into sending him images and videos of themselves engaging in sexually explicit conduct. During that timeframe, Castillo posed as one or more teenage girls on social media platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram. Using images of teenage girls that he had downloaded from the internet, Castillo initiated chats and then exchanges of images with his male victims. Castillo then asked for child sexual abuse material in return, assuring his victims that the images and videos would be deleted. In reality, Castillo screen-recorded the videos and images and saved them on his devices. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise N. Yasinow is prosecuting the case. Castillo is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller on Sept. 9, 2024. Castillo faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC .


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Hosts Fifth Community Event as Part of DOJ's United Against Hate Initiative

number: 2024-083_United Against Hate Event

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona held its fifth United Against Hate event last week at the Jewish Community Center in Tucson. The event provided an opportunity for an informative and robust discussion with leaders from Southern Arizona’s Jewish community, local and federal law enforcement and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. “Preventing hate crimes starts with education, understanding, and reporting hate-motivated incidents to law enforcement,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “We are dedicated to the investigation and prosecution of those who commit hate crimes against our fellow community members due to their religious beliefs, and we are appreciative of the Southern Arizona Jewish community and its leaders for joining us in a meaningful, collaborative discussion.” The event featured a panel discussion among community leaders, local law enforcement, and the U.S. Attorney. Over 150 invited guests, including community members, local leaders, and law enforcement, were in attendance. The event focused on establishing a dialogue between the community and law enforcement and on increasing community understanding and reporting of hate crimes and hate incidents. The discussion allowed attendees to hear directly from members of the local Jewish community, who shared their thoughts, concerns, and experiences with hate crimes and hate incidents. This fifth United Against Hate event follows a previous meeting with the Jewish community in Scottsdale, and similar meetings between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and leaders of Arizona’s African American, LGBTQ+, and Hispanic communities. The District of Arizona will hold additional United Against Hate events in the coming months to engage with communities across the state. These events will further encourage collaboration, support hate crimes prevention efforts, and encourage more Arizonans to report hate crimes and hate incidents. RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-083_United Against Hate Event # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Arizona Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Robert Frenchie McGriff, 44, of Mesa, Arizona, pleaded guilty today to attempted transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, from March 2019 through June 2019, McGriff began communicating with an individual he believed to be a minor female on Instagram. McGriff told the individual that he was a pimp and actively recruited her to work for him in Arizona as a prostitute. In June 2019, McGriff traveled by bus from Phoenix, Arizona, to Turlock, California, with the intent of retrieving the minor female in Turlock and transporting her to work for him as a prostitute. McGriff was thereafter arrested by law enforcement. This case is the product of an investigation by the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department’s Special Prosecutions Unit and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Whitnee Goins and Shea Kenny are prosecuting the case. McGriff is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kimberly Mueller on Sept. 9, 2024. McGriff faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC .


title: Blackstone Man Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Defrauding Former Employer, Identity Theft and Tax Evasion

body_text: BOSTON – A Blackstone man was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester for defrauding his former employer – a company that operates a national chain of second-hand retail stores – by using others’ identities and repeatedly falsifying working hours for employees and taking all the wages for himself. Anthony Prizio, 49, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to three years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Judge Guzman also ordered Prizio to pay $431,399 in restitution to his former employer and $86,190 to the Internal Revenue Service. In February 2024, Prizio pleaded guilty to six counts of wire fraud, one count of tax evasion and one count of unauthorized use of another’s identity. From January 2019 until July 2021, while serving as manager of the company’s Worcester store location, Prizio devised and carried out a scheme to steal over $430,000. As the store manager, Prizio had access to the store’s timekeeping system for employees’ working hours, human resources portal and un-activated payroll paycards issued to certain employees for wages. Prizio used his position as store manager to repeatedly enter false hours worked for employees, including employees who no longer worked there. As part of the scheme, Prizio caused payroll debit cards to be issued in others’ names, which he then took for himself. Prizio used some or all of the wages for his own use on personal expenditures. Additionally, Prizio took steps to conceal his fraud by misrepresenting the productivity of the Worcester store to make it appear that the store processed more items, as well as by entering false paid sick and bereavement for employees to fraudulently cause payment for fictitious hours without adversely affecting the productivity measurement of the store. Prizio failed to pay taxes on any of the income derived from this fraudulent scheme. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Division; and Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin J. Brown of the Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.


title: Midlothian man pleads guilty to federal firearms violation

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

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A Midlothian man pled guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on Oct. 22, 2022, Chesterfield County Police officers were looking for a stolen Jeep Grand Cherokee, which they located on Branchs Woods Lane in Chesterfield County. Officers observed Matthew Chambliss Coleman, 42, jump out of the front passenger seat and run through the front and then back yard of a nearby home. As Coleman was running through the back yard, he threw a loaded .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun, which officers later recovered. Coleman attempted to hide in another yard, but aerial surveillance guided officers to his location and Coleman was arrested. Coleman was previously convicted of distribution and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine. As a convicted felon, Coleman cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition. Coleman is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 10 and faces up to 15 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Jason Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; and Lt. Col. Brad Badgerow, Acting Chief of Chesterfield County Police, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark R. Colombell accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Miller is prosecuting the case. Former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon E. Schulz, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, assisted in the prosecution of this case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-134.


title: Woodbury Man Charged in Child Sextortion Scheme

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Woodbury man has been indicted for the production and possession of child pornography and coercing minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, on multiple occasions between approximately July 10, 2021, and March 11, 2022, Timothy Lennard Gebhart, 37, coerced a 16-year-old child, Minor A, and a 14-year-old, Minor B, to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing pornographic videos. After obtaining the images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, Gebhart distributed the videos via computer and cellular phone. Gebhart then used the pornographic videos to extort money and other items of value from Minor A, threatening to damage the victim’s reputation by sending nude photos and videos to their family and friends. The indictment charges Gebhart with two counts of production and attempted production of child pornography, one count of distribution of child pornography, and one count of interstate communications with intent to extort. Gebhart made his initial appearance on June 21, 2024, in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Douglas L. Micko. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Woodbury Police Department, Greene County (Indiana) Sheriff’s Department, the Indiana State Police, and the FBI, with assistance from the Owatonna Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Classen is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Lincoln Man Sentenced to 16 Months Prison for Being Drug User in Possession of a Firearm.

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Clifton Davis, Jr., 23, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced June 24, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln for being an unlawful user or addict of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Davis to 16 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Davis’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. Davis initially came to law enforcement’s attention after three guns he had purchased were used by others to commit crimes, including a domestic assault and a homicide. Investigators were able to secure and execute a search warrant on Davis’s home and phone in early June of 2023. Officers found an American Tactical 5.56mm handgun, 32 9mm rounds, 83 .22 rounds, 38 .40 rounds, and the manufacture’s box for an additional weapon. Officers also located marijuana and drug paraphernalia in his house and vehicle. In an interview with law enforcement, Davis admitted to being a marijuana user, advising he smoked about once a day. On his phone, investigators found numerous conversations about buying, and occasionally selling marijuana, pictures of marijuana and videos of marijuana. Some of these conversations occurred within days of Davis purchasing firearms. Authorities were further able to confirm that the ammunition and firearm had been manufactured outside the state of Nebraska and transported via interstate commerce. This case was investigated by the Lincoln Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


title: Omaha Man Sentenced for Wire Fraud

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Eric Everroad, 53, of Omaha, NE, was sentenced on June 24, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for wire fraud. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Everroad to 12 months and 1 day imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Everroad’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. As part of his sentence, Everroad was ordered to pay Menards $478,674.94 in restitution. From December of 2006 until September 22, 2022, Everroad was an employee of Menards and was employed at the location at 708 N 120 th Street in Omaha, Nebraska location as the Building Materials Manager. Beginning in 2017, Everroad devised and carried out a scheme in which he allowed a contractor to make purchases from Menards using wrongfully obtained store credits. In doing so, Everroad created false returns to generate store credits. Everroad also allowed for the contractor to make purchases using other customers legitimate store credit. The contractor would then pay Everroad directly using cash or checks for the goods that were wrongfully obtained from Menards. As a result of this scheme, Everroad received $478,674.94 from the contractor between March 28, 2017, and September 14, 2022. Everroad was confronted by loss prevention officers with Menards and admitted that he was generating false returns to create store credits that the contractor used to make purchases or allowed the contractor to make purchases on other customer’s credits. Everroad admitted to the contractor paying him directly. The owners of the contractor involved were interviewed and confirmed this arrangement with Everroad. The contractor explained that they received a benefit in doing so because Everroad allowed for them to pay for the materials after the job was completed which assisted with the business’s cash flow. As part of this scheme, Everroad would deposit the checks from the contractor in his personal checking account at Centris Federal Credit Union. This caused Centris Federal Credit Union to electronically transmit, images of the checks by means of wire communication in interstate commerce from Nebraska to the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, which is located in the state of Georgia. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


title: Former State Senator and Sister/Business Owner Charged with Obstruction of Justice

body_text: BOSTON – An indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Boston charging former Massachusetts State Senator Dean Tran and his sister for allegedly attempting to cover up a sham job offer from the sister’s company to Tran. Tran, 48, of Fitchburg, was indicted on one count of obstruction of justice and one count of making a false statement. His sister, Tuyet T. Martin, 54, of Pelham, N.H., was indicted on two counts of obstruction of justice and one count of perjury. Martin was arrested this morning and will appear in federal court in Boston this afternoon. Tran will appear at a later date. In November 2023 , Tran was arrested and charged in 28-count federal indictment for his alleged fraudulent collection of Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits and his willful omission of consulting and rental income from his tax returns in 2020, 2021 and 2022. “The charges against Dean Tran and his sister represent a serious breach of public trust,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Their alleged calculated effort to defraud the government and deceive federal investigators demonstrate a disturbing disregard for the law. Our office remains committed to uncovering and prosecuting fraud and corruption, as this case makes clear.” “Anyone who obstructs a federal investigation is attempting to subvert the course of justice,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Today, former Massachusetts State Senator Dean Tran and his sister Tuyet Martin are accused of doing exactly that, in an effort conceal Mr. Tran’s alleged attempts to steal tens of thousands of dollars from public assistance programs at the expense of those in need. Make no mistake, the FBI and our partners will not hesitate to bring to justice anyone foolish enough to try to interfere with our cases.” “An important part of the mission of the Office of Inspector General is to investigate allegations of fraud involving the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) unemployment insurance program as well as allegations involving the obstruction of DOL investigations, including those conducted by the Office of Inspector General. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate these types of allegations,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Jonathan Mellone, Northeast Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. “The indictment and arrest of Tuyet T. Martin demonstrates the IRS’s commitment to not only prosecuting those who break the law but also those who knowingly and willfully obstruct Federal investigations,” said Special Agent in Charge, Harry T. Chavis Jr., Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations, Boston Field Office. “Martin lied to Special Agents in an effort to obstruct an ongoing Federal investigation. Martin attempted to protect her brother, former State Senator Dean Tran, from being arrested but now she must face justice for her actions.” According to the indictment, as part of the investigation into Tran’s unemployment benefits and tax fraud schemes, an investigation began into a purported job offer from Martin to Tran at Alecon Enterprises, Inc., where Martin was an owner and the CEO. In June 2022, during the execution of a search warrant at Tran’s residence, it is alleged that Tran made false statements to agents about a job offer letter from Martin and whether Martin had actually written the letter and her signature on it. It is further alleged that Martin concealed and attempted to delete emails between her and Tran regarding the employment offer letter. Additionally, Martin allegedly provided false testimony before a federal grand jury in July 2023 regarding the employment offer letter. The charge of obstruction of justice provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of false statements provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of perjury provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $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. Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, FBI SAC Cohen, DOL-OIG SAC Mellone and IRS-CI SAC Chavis made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Mulcahy and Dustin Chao of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit are prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Former Kentucky Sheriff’s Deputy Sentenced for Abusing Arrestees

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: A former Kentucky sheriff’s deputy was sentenced today to 110 months in prison for violating the constitutional rights of multiple people he arrested during his tenure as a law enforcement officer. Former Boyle County Sheriff’s Deputy Tanner M. Abbott, 31, was convicted by a federal jury in March of five felonies and one misdemeanor related to using excessive force against four arrestees, performing an illegal search and writing and conspiring to write false police reports to cover up his abuse. “This defendant habitually and routinely abused his authority and used his badge to shield himself from accountability for years,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This sentence should send a loud message that such abuses by law enforcement will not be tolerated. The Justice Department is steadfast in its commitment to hold law enforcement accountable when they violate the civil and constitutional rights of people in their country.” “Instead of protecting and serving the community, the defendant was physically abusing people — even bragging about the injuries he caused,” said U.S. Attorney Carlton S. Shier IV for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “That is not law enforcement; that is brazen criminal conduct. The community deserved better. Fortunately, he now has a criminal sentence that he deserves.” At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that the crimes for which Abbott was convicted were part of a larger pattern of abuse of authority spanning his career. An investigator testified that, during its two-year investigation of numerous allegations against Abbott, the FBI discovered evidence that Abbott frequently used excessive force against suspects. This evidence included text messages recovered from Abbott’s work-issued cell phone in which Abbott bragged, sometimes in graphic and vulgar terms, about causing injuries to people he had arrested. The government also presented cell phone evidence showing that Abbott sometimes took photographs of injuries he had caused and sent the photographs to friends and acquaintances, but never included or submitted them in official police documents. Two additional witnesses testified that they had been physically abused by Abbott while being arrested. The court also found that Abbott obstructed justice during his trial by testifying falsely in his own defense. The FBI Louisville Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Dembo for the Eastern District of Kentucky and Trial Attorney Alec Ward of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.


title: Maryann Manning Pleads Guilty to Stealing Social Security Benefit Payments

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Maryann Manning, 63, of Wolcott, Vermont, pleaded guilty yesterday in United States District Court in Burlington to fraudulently converting tens of thousands of dollars in Social Security benefit payments. Chief U.S. District Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford released Manning on conditions pending sentencing, which will be scheduled at a later date. On May 13, 2024, the U.S. Attorney filed a one-count information charging Manning with receiving stolen government money. Manning made her initial appearance in federal court today and pleaded guilty to that charge. According to court records, Manning’s brother received disability insurance benefit payments from the Social Security Administration (SSA). Manning’s brother died in October 2015 at which time his SSA benefits should have terminated. Following his death, however, Manning collected her brother’s benefits from SSA by withdrawing the money from his accounts. The total loss to the Social Security Administration is more than $119,000. Manning faces up to ten years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors. This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General. Manning is represented by Robert Behrens, Esq. The government is represented by Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Stendig.


title: Florida Fisherman Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion

component: Tax Division

body_text: A Florida man pleaded guilty yesterday to evading taxes on income he earned from commercial fishing in Massachusetts. According to court documents and statements made in court, Christopher Garraty, of New Port Richey, and formerly of Newport and East Greenwich, Rhode Island, worked as a commercial fisherman and deckhand for fishing companies operating out of New Bedford, Massachusetts. Despite earning substantial income working as a fisherman, Garraty did not file until 2012 any federal income tax returns for tax years 2002 through 2011. When he filed the delinquent returns, he reported that he owed a total of approximately $234,497 in taxes for those nine years. But even after reporting that he owed taxes, Garraty did not make any payments to the IRS. In addition, Garraty did not file returns for 2015 through 2018 despite earning approximately $600,000 in fishing income across those years and owing approximately $179,382 in taxes. To thwart the IRS from assessing or collecting his outstanding taxes, Garraty regularly cashed his paychecks at the issuing bank to conceal the source and disposition of his income. Garraty did not deposit a significant portion of his cashed paychecks into his bank accounts. Moreover, when his paycheck was over $10,000, Garraty frequently cashed the paycheck at the issuing bank and then immediately made multiple cash deposits of less than $10,000 into his bank account to avoid triggering the bank’s reporting requirements. He used the cash to fund his lifestyle to further conceal his financial activity. In total, Garraty caused a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $413,879. Garraty is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 17 and faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy for the District of Massachusetts made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Trial Attorney Matthew L. Cofer of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor Wild for the District of Massachusetts are prosecuting the case.


title: Jeffersonville Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Secretly Recording Minor Victim in Shower and Dressing Areas

body_text: NEW ALBANY- Joseph Grant Flamion, 47, of Jeffersonville, has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child sexual abuse material. According to court documents, in 2021 and 2022, Flamion secretly used electronic devices to record or to attempt to record a child victim in places where Flamion knew the child would be undressing or nude. Flamion placed a hidden camera in the child’s bathroom and bedroom and routinely held a cell phone camera or another device under the doors to record the child fully nude or undressing. Flamion had custody, care, or supervisory control of the child, who was 13 and 14 years old when Flamion made the recordings. In October of 2021, Flamion brought a hidden camera with him when he took the child to Florida for a vacation. Flamion placed the hidden camera in the bathroom of the hotel and recorded the child when the child was showering. The minor victim and a witness became aware that Flamion was attempting to create nude recordings of the victim and disclosed his conduct to the Indiana Department of Child Services. The Department of Child Services notified Flamion of what it had learned, and he subsequently destroyed or disposed of the hidden camera that he used to make recordings of the victim before they could be seized by law enforcement officers. On July 5, 2022, the Jeffersonville Police Department conducted court-authorized searches of Flamion’ s person and residence. Police seized electronic devices, including a laptop that contained secretly recorded videos of the victim nude or partially nude, and had been used to search for topics such as “hidden camera” and “real life cam.” Investigators also found videos of the victim nude or partially nude on Flamion’s iPhone and MicroSD card. In his guilty plea, Flamion admitted that he created the recordings of the child for his own sexual gratification. “All children deserve to live in a home that is a place of safety and love. This defendant used his proximity to a child to secretly invade their safety and dignity, sexually exploiting them for his own gratification,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Those who seek to sexually exploit children must be identified and held accountable for the trauma they inflict on victims and their families. Thanks to the outstanding efforts of the Jeffersonville Police Department, FBI, and our federal prosecutor, the public will be protected from this defendant while he serves a very serious sentence in federal prison.” “The defendant took advantage of a child’s vulnerability in their own home – a place where they should feel safe and protected – and not have to live in constant fear of being exploited,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “The FBI and our partners will continue to work diligently to protect our children from those engaging in such heinous crimes.” “I want to thank the Indiana State Police Digital Forensic Examiners, FBI Indianapolis Field Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana for their assistance in the investigation and the thorough prosecution of Mr. Flamion,” said Col. Kenny Kavanaugh, Chief of Police of the Jeffersonville Police Department. “His predatory actions impacted not only the victims in this case but caused a ripple effect across our community. Our partnership with these agencies enabled us to conduct a sound investigation which led to a successful prosecution.” The FBI, Indiana State Police, and Jeffersonville Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by Chief U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. Judge Pratt also ordered Flamion to pay $10,000 in restitution, $7,500 in fines, and to register as a sex offender wherever he lives, works, or goes to school. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany J. Preston, who prosecuted this case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood , a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. ###


title: Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Statement on Supreme Court’s Decision in United States v. Rahimi

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: The Justice Department issued the following statement from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on the Supreme Court’s decision in United States v. Rahimi : “The Supreme Court’s decision today in United States v. Rahimi upholds Congress’s longstanding prohibition on the possession of firearms by people subject to domestic-violence restraining orders. That law protects victims by keeping firearms out of the hands of dangerous individuals who pose a threat to their intimate partners and children. As the Justice Department argued, and as the Court reaffirmed today, that commonsense prohibition is entirely consistent with the Court’s precedent and the text and history of the Second Amendment. The Justice Department will continue to enforce this important statute, which for nearly 30 years has helped to protect victims and survivors of domestic violence from their abusers. And we will continue to deploy all available resources to support law enforcement, prosecutors, courts, and victim advocates to address the pervasive problem of domestic violence.”


title: Ava Man Sentenced to 58 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of Two Child Victims

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – An Ava, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court after images of his repeated sexual assaults of two child victims were discovered by workers while they were demolishing his former residence. Harold Lloyd Blair, Jr., 67, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark on Thursday, June 20, to 58 years in federal prison without parole. On Jan. 30, 2024, Blair pleaded guilty to two counts of the sexual exploitation of a minor. Blair has also been implicated in the sexual abuse of two additional child victims. The investigation began on Dec. 2, 2022, when workers employed by Douglas County, Mo., were tearing down Blair’s former residence after he sold it to the county. The workers discovered a filing cabinet that contained numerous pages of images of a young girl engaged in sexual acts with an older man. The workers contacted the Douglas County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and Blair was questioned by investigators. Blair admitted that he was the man portrayed in the photos, which were taken in 2012 and 2013, when the two child victims each were approximately 11 to 12 years old. In total, there were 52 photographs that were taken by Blair with a digital camera and printed from his computer. Blair told investigators that, if he had remembered those photographs were in the house, he would have destroyed them. Investigators also searched Blair’s storage unit and found more images of child pornography. Investigators found a total of 743 images of child pornography in the house and storage unit, most of which were images of the sexual assault of two child victims. Blair admitted that he sexually assaulted one of the child victims two to three times a day. Blair showed adult pornography to each of the child victims so they could imitate what was happening in the videos. Blair also admitted to investigators that he sexually abused a 13-year-old girl whom he moved from state to state in an attempt to find a state that would allow him to marry a minor without her parents’ consent. Another victim told investigators that Blair sexually abused her when she was approximately three years old. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Douglas County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, and the West Plains, Mo., Police Department, with assistance from the Douglas County, Mo., Prosecuting Attorney. Project Safe Childhood This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."


title: Jury Finds District Woman Guilty of Robbery and Conspiracy for Christmas Day Offenses

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Derricka Burton, 20, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a Superior Court jury of a Christmas Day robbery, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). The verdict was returned on June 20, 2024, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Robert Salerno scheduled sentencing for August 23, 2024. According to the government’s evidence, at around 2:38 p.m. on December 25, 2023, Burton and three co-conspirators saw the victims, a couple spending time together at the Alethia Tanner Park, located at 227 Harry Thomas Way Northeast. Video footage showed Burton and her co-conspirators huddle together before two of her co-conspirators walked up to the victims and robbed them. Burton’s co-conspirators pointed a gun at the victims and demanded the victims’ Canada Goose brand jacket, cellphone, and other items. The co-conspirators then walked back to Burton and the other co-conspirators. The group conferred with each other and left together. As they did so, one of the co-conspirators dropped some of the stolen property, which Burton picked up before she left with the group. Police arrested Burton on February 12, 2024. In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Toogun and Katrenia Shelly prosecuted the case.


title: Justice Department Opens Application Period for Program to Enhance Tribal Access to National Crime Information Databases

component: Department of Justice

body_text: The Justice Department today announced the opening of the application period for federally recognized Tribes and intertribal consortia to participate in the Tribal Access Program (TAP) for National Crime Information. TAP improves public safety by providing federally recognized Tribes the ability to access and exchange data with national crime information databases for authorized criminal justice and non-criminal justice purposes, such as the FBI’s National Crime Information Center (NCIC). “The Department’s Tribal Access Program is a critical asset that Tribes can deploy to increase safety and justice in their communities,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “Year in and year out, TAP’s value – enabling Tribes to access and exchange federal criminal justice information – has proven indispensable in advancing Tribal public safety across the country. I encourage all eligible Tribes to participate.” “The Tribal Access Program is a highly valuable resource which aids in facilitating additional support to law enforcement partners and the communities they serve,” said FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. “TAP gives Tribal partners a mechanism to share and collaborate on time-sensitive information that can be used to help better serve and protect their communities. The program has already experienced tremendous success and this application period offers an opportunity to further expand this important tool to even more partners.” The Department will accept TAP applications from June 24 to Aug. 30. Tribes selected to participate will be notified in September. There are currently 132 federally recognized Tribes participating in TAP. The program provides software, hardware, and training, as well as a web-based application and biometric/biographic kiosk workstations to process fingerprints, take mugshots, and submit information to FBI Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) systems. Using TAP, Tribes have shared information about missing persons; entered domestic violence orders of protection for nationwide enforcement; registered convicted sex offenders; run criminal histories; located fugitives; entered bookings and convictions; and completed fingerprint-based record checks for non-criminal justice purposes such as screening employees or volunteers who work with children. “The Cherokee Nation has been participating in TAP for many years,” said Senior Director Justice Services Suzanne Drywater of the Cherokee Nation. “From sex offender registrations, law enforcement, foster home certification, human resources, and child support, our Tribe has been able to exercise our sovereignty, and TAP has proven to be an invaluable resource that we use daily in a multitude of ways.” “TAP provides the Suquamish Tribal Police Department with access to national criminal justice information to properly conduct criminal investigations and to make NICS entries to prevent persons with legal restrictions from purchasing firearms,” said Administrative Services Manager Lisa Sparks of the Suquamish Tribal Police Department. For Tribes that are considering applying, TAP staff will be conducting informational webinars describing the program and its capabilities. Webinars will be offered throughout July and August. For more information about TAP, including webinar dates, times, and access information, visit www.justice.gov/tribal/tribal-access-program-2024-applications . To qualify for funding, federally recognized Tribes must have – and agree to use TAP for – at least one of the following: A Tribal sex offender registry authorized by the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act; A Tribal law enforcement agency that has arrest powers; A Tribal court that issues orders of protection; or A Tribal government agency that screens individuals for foster care placement or that investigates allegations of child abuse/neglect. TAP is funded by the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking; the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services; the Office for Victims of Crime; and the Office on Violence Against Women. TAP is co-managed by the Department’s Office of the Chief Information Officer and Office of Tribal Justice.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Seeks To Intervene in Lawsuit Against Itasca, Ill. for Refusing To Allow Treatment Center To Open in Village

component: USAO - Illinois, Northern

body_text: CHICAGO — The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago has sought to file a complaint in intervention in a pending lawsuit against Itasca, Ill., alleging the village engaged in unlawful disability discrimination in reviewing and ultimately denying a zoning request filed by a non-profit health care provider to use its property as a treatment center for people with substance-use disorders. Haymarket DuPage LLC contracted in 2019 to purchase a hotel in Itasca with plans to repurpose it into a specialized treatment center offering health care services to treat substance-use disorders and related mental health disabilities. Haymarket’s main treatment center is in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood and offers a range of services, including detoxification support, inpatient and outpatient treatment programs, primary medical and pediatric care, and a program allowing mothers in treatment to remain with their children. Haymarket has sought for years to expand into DuPage County due to the urgent need for treatment centers in Chicago’s western suburbs. The complaint in intervention that the U.S. Attorney’s Office seeks to file contends that the village engaged in disparate treatment by employing a host of highly anomalous tactics to frustrate Haymarket’s application for zoning approval. The complaint alleges that village officials concocted a pretextual narrative that the treatment center would impose severe economic harms on the region, while also fanning the flames of residents’ fears by issuing numerous public statements disparaging Haymarket and its supporters. The complaint contends that the village also failed to fulfill its accommodation obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act prior to denying Haymarket’s zoning request. The U.S. Attorney’s Office’s motion to intervene in the lawsuit was filed Thursday in federal court in Chicago. It was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jordan A. Rosen, Sarah F. Terman, and Patrick W. Johnson. Motion to Intervene


title: Florida promoter sentenced to 20 years for duping investors in fraudulent Southfork Ranch concert scheme

body_text: SHERMAN, Texas – An Orlando, Florida man has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for wire fraud in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs. James Walker Watson, Jr., 68, pleaded guilty to wire fraud in May 2023 and was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant, III, on June 20, 2024. Judge Mazzant announced restitution to victims would be determined at a separate hearing. According to information presented in court, from 2016 to 2020, Walker devised and carried out a scheme to commit fraud against multiple individuals in the North Texas area by representing to them that he was a successful concert promoter and was looking for investors to give him money to put on concert events, including two purported concerts at the Southfork Ranch in Plano, Texas. Walker took the victims’ money but failed to return the investments as he had promised. He would often tell investors that, without further investment and involvement with his ventures, they would not receive any of their money back. The fraudulent activity resulted in a loss to victims of approximately $3 million. “The U.S. Attorney's Office will continue to bring charges against and prosecute those who commit fraud and steal money from victims in our district,” said U. S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs. “These crimes often take advantage of individuals who trust the defendants with their hard-earned savings and investments, only to lose them forever. We appreciate the work of the FBI in investigating and partnering with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring this defendant to justice.” This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Combs. ###


title: Convicted Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 4 Years After Bangor Police Find Him with a Firearm, Drugs During Traffic Stop

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A Bangor man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition and to possessing controlled substances with the intent to distribute them. Chief U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Andrew Blais , 37, to 48 months imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release. Blais pleaded guilty on March 15, 2024. According to court records, in October of 2023, Bangor police officers encountered Blais during a traffic stop and identified an active warrant for his arrest. Officers observed drug paraphernalia in open view in the vehicle and recovered bundles of cash and a loaded handgun on Blais’ person. A further search at the Penobscot County Jail revealed 38 individual bags containing fentanyl concealed underneath his clothing. Blais was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to a prior felony drug trafficking conviction. The Bangor Police Department; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. ###


title: Sentence Handed Down in Killing of 19-Year Old in Northwest DC in 2022

body_text: WASHINGTON – Anthony Lewis, 25, of Washington D.C., was sentenced on Friday, June 21, 2024, to 135 months in prison for the killing of 19-year-old Cameron Clemons in May 2022, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department. Lewis has been in custody since his arrest on November 20, 2022. In January of 2024, he entered a guilty plea to voluntary manslaughter while armed. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for an agreed-upon prison sentence of 135 months, to be followed by five years of supervised release. The Honorable Robert Okun accepted the plea today and sentenced the defendant accordingly. The judge denied the defense’s request for a Youth Act sentence. According to a proffer of facts submitted at the plea hearing, at around 10pm on May 28, 2022, Lewis was walking in the 600 block of Otis Place NW, when he stopped and exchanged words with a group of people on the opposite (north) side of the street, one of whom he had previously fought with. During the exchange, Lewis pulled out a firearm and fired multiple shots at another individual as that person walked toward him. Multiple individuals from the group fired back at Lewis as he ran from the scene. During the exchange of gunfire, Cameron Clemons, who had been standing on the south side of the street, was struck by a bullet. He was driven to an area hospital and treated for his injuries, but on June 4, 2022, while still at the hospital, he died from complications of the gunshot wound. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Stephanie Gilbert and Lisa Minott, and Victim/Witness Advocate Karina Hernandez. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Prins, who investigated and prosecuted the case.


title: Columbia Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Gun Charge

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Deandre Lamar Davis, 35, of Columbia, was sentenced to more than eight years in federal prison after pleading guilty to felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Evidence presented to the court showed that on May 5, 2021, Columbia Police Department officers arrested Davis on outstanding state arrest warrants for kidnapping and domestic violence. A loaded 9mm pistol was found tucked into Davis’s waistband along with approximately 2.8 grams of crack cocaine in his pants pocket. This was the third time Davis was arrested while in unlawful possession of a firearm or illegal drugs since 2020. Davis had prior convictions for aggravated assault and battery, burglary, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, domestic violence, second degree and assault and battery, second degree. At the time of the May 2021 incident, Davis was on state probation for his most recent assault and battery conviction. United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Davis to 100 months in prison, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. 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. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Columbia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Taylor is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Poplar man sentenced to 15 months in prison for assaulting woman on Fort Peck Indian Reservation

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A Poplar man who admitted to beating a woman on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation was sentenced on June 20 to 15 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today. The defendant, Thomas Ivan Reese Larson, 25, pleaded guilty in February to assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The government alleged in court document that in January 2021 in Poplar, on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Larson assaulted the victim, identified as Jane Doe, during an argument while he was intoxicated. Larson held the victim by her throat and struck her in the face, causing multiple injuries to her face and neck. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and Fort Peck Law Enforcement conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Great Falls man admits trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A Great Falls man admitted on June 20 to trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl after a law enforcement investigation determined he was dealing large quantities of drugs in the community and found two pounds of meth wired under his truck, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. The defendant, John Mead Ogburn, 45, pleaded guilty to an information charging him with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute meth and fentanyl. Ogburn faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Under the terms of a plea agreement, the parties agreed that a prison sentence in the range of 12 years and seven months to 15 years and eight months is an appropriate sentence to resolve the case. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Oct. 24. Ogburn was detained pending further proceedings. In court documents, the government alleged that in September and October 2023, drug task officers in Great Falls learned Ogburn was a source of supply of meth and fentanyl. In November 2023, officers intercepted a UPS package that contained 1,757 fentanyl pills. The package was intended to be delivered to a Great Falls address of an individual, who admitted knowing the package contained fentanyl and who identified Ogburn as arranging for the shipment. In December 2023, officers received information that another individual possessed a large quantity of fentanyl powder. Officers executed a search warrant on the individual’s residence and recovered approximately one pound of meth and 55 grams of fentanyl powder. Officers observed Ogburn at the individual’s home before and after the search, and the individual later told officers that the drugs were intended for Ogburn. On Feb. 9, law enforcement conducted an interdiction stop on Interstate 90 of two vehicles associated with Ogburn, an Acura and a Dodge truck. A search of the vehicles found approximately two pounds of meth wired under the truck. Ogburn admitted on a recorded jail call that he was responsible for placing the meth under the truck. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI, Russell Country Drug Task Force, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Great Falls Police Department, Cascade County Sheriff’s Office and Montana Highway Patrol conducted the investigation. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN . XXX