title: Multiple defendants prosecuted on federal firearms, drug charges

body_text: SAVANNAH, GA: Six people have been indicted in the Southern District of Georgia on felony charges including illegal firearms possession and drug distribution, while additional defendants have been sentenced to federal prison or await further proceedings after pleading guilty to federal gun charges. The cases are prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods in collaboration with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI, to reduce violent crime with measures that include targeting convicted felons who illegally possess guns. “Removing illegally possessed firearms from convicted felons plays a key role in reducing violent crime in our communities,” said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “In collaboration with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to prioritize taking these tools of violence out of the hands individuals who are prohibited from possessing them.” In the past five years, more than 800 defendants have been prosecuted in the Southern District of Georgia for firearms offenses – most often for possessing a firearm after conviction for a previous felony. That charge carries a statutory penalty of up to 15 years in prison, and there is no parole in the federal system. Those indicted during the October term of the U.S. District Court Grand Jury include: Ricky Rich , 41, of East Dublin, Ga., charged with four counts of Distribution of 5 Grams or More of Methamphetamine; Distribution of Fentanyl; Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine; Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl; three counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; and two counts of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Othnell Christian Ferguson , 27, of Pembroke, Ga., charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; Jamal Brashad Hawkins , 20, of Swainsboro, Ga., charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; Jamario D. Owens , 24, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; Keith Alan Scorza , 53, of Savannah, charged with False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm, and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person, referring to a domestic violence protective order; and, Pedro Walker , 24, of Savannah, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Defendants recently adjudicated on federal firearms charges include: Reginald General Jackson , 36, of Savannah, was sentenced to 120 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Stolen Firearm. Savannah Police officers found Jackson in possession of multiple pistols after they were called in June 2022 to a Savannah motel room that Jackson was refusing to leave. Tony Lavardo Blount Jr ., 32, of Augusta, was sentenced to 78 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Columbia County Sheriff’s deputies were called to a Grovetown, Ga., home to investigate a report of domestic violence and arrested Blount after a brief foot chase when he pulled a pistol from his pocket. Calvin Lomont Powell Jr., 22, of Waynesboro, Ga., was sentenced to 41 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Georgia State Patrol troopers found a pistol, drugs, and cash in Powell’s car during a June 2022 traffic stop. Derrick Drurell Long , 32, of Augusta, was sentenced to 56 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Georgia Department of Community Supervision officers arrested Long in June 2020 after finding a pistol in his apartment during a search. Reco Casey , a/k/a “Rico,” 33, of Augusta, was sentenced to 57 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. In September 2021, Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies found a pistol in the vehicle where Casey was a passenger. Casey was on state felony probation at the time of his arrest. Tavares L. Freeman Jr., 22, of Augusta, was sentenced to 45 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Freeman was arrested in August 2022 after he was seen tossing a pistol from a window of his home as Richmond County sheriff’s deputies and agents from the Georgia Department of Community Supervision arrived to conduct a search of the residence. Freeman was on probation from a state felony conviction at the time. Cortez Timmie Dinh , 27, of Martinez, Ga., was sentenced to three years’ probation, fined $1,500 and ordered to serve 40 hours of community service after pleading guilty to False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm. During an August 2019 traffic stop, Richmond County deputies found guns and drugs in a vehicle in which Dinh was a passenger. The driver, Jose Ramon Valero Jr. , 25, of Stonecrest, Ga., is serving 84 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute, and to Distribute, Marijuana, and Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. Dinh acted as a straw purchaser in buying one of the guns found in the vehicle for Valero, who was prohibited from possessing firearms because of a previous conviction for domestic violence. Jesu Aurelius Fox , 27, of Savannah, was sentenced to 30 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah Police officers found Fox in possession of a pistol while behind the wheel of his vehicle in August 2021. David Wayne Cleland , 34, of Ridgeland, S.C., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Garden City police officers investigating a suspicious vehicle in a motel parking lot found Cleland asleep in the car with a handgun in his lap. Steve Shontell Heath, 46, of Hephzibah, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. A Burke County sheriff’s deputy found a pistol in Heath’s vehicle during a December 2021 traffic stop. Agencies investigating these cases include the ATF, the FBI, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Savannah Police Department, the Statesboro Police Department, the Swainsboro Police Department, and the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office. The cases are being prosecuted for the United States by the Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney’s Office. Under federal law, it is illegal for an individual to possess a firearm if he or she falls into one of nine prohibited categories including being a felon; illegal alien; or unlawful user of a controlled substance. Further, it is unlawful to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense or violent crime. It is also illegal to purchase – or even to attempt to purchase – firearms if the buyer is a prohibited person or illegally purchasing a firearm on behalf of others. Lying on ATF Form 4473, which is used to lawfully purchase a firearm, also is a federal offense. For more information from the ATF on the lawful purchasing of firearms, please see: https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/atfw-form-4473 75-23


title: Nevada Return Preparer Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax Returns

component: Tax Division

body_text: A Nevada woman pleaded guilty on Friday to assisting in the preparation of false income tax returns. According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2015 to 2020, Jessica Avras operated a Las Vegas tax preparation business. During that time, Avras prepared and filed false returns that fraudulently reduced the income tax owed and/or inflated the tax refunds due to her clients. Avras routinely reported fictitious businesses that had significant purported losses or reported fabricated deductions, including noncash charitable contributions and sales taxes. Avras admitted that her conduct caused a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $525,000. Avras is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 4, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison. She also faces a period of supervised release and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge 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 U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada made the announcement. IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Thomas Flynn and Samuel Robins of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.


title: Indy Man Sentenced to Six Months in Federal Prison for Falsely Identifying Robbery Suspect in Order to Claim Cash Reward

component: USAO - Indiana, Southern

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Carl Davis, 25, of Indianapolis, Indiana, has been sentenced to six months in federal prison after pleading guilty to making a false statement or representation in a matter within the jurisdiction of the executive branch of the government of the United States. According to court documents, on April 1, 2022, a letter carrier with the United States Post Office was robbed in the 1200 block of South Reisner Street in Indianapolis. Immediately following the armed robbery, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service announced that it was offering a $50,000 reward to anyone who provided information leading to the suspect’s arrest and conviction. On April 7, 2022, Carl Davis called the tip line and claimed that he witnessed the robbery. In an interview with USPIS agents, under oath, Davis stated that he witnessed a man named M.S. hold a tan knife or gun to the letter carrier, take something from him and knock him down. Further, Davis stated that he and M.S. communicated through Facebook Messenger. During this conversation, M.S. purportedly admitted to robbing the letter carrier. Davis provided investigators with images showing the purported conversation between him and M.S. These statements were lies. Postal Inspectors discovered that the M.S. Facebook account—the one in which M.S. allegedly admitted to the robbery—was created by the Davis to set M.S. up. Davis admitted that he disliked M.S. for personal reasons and lied in hopes of getting M.S. incarcerated and collecting the $50,000 reward. M.S. did not commit the armed robbery. “Greed and a petty personal beef do not entitle someone to lie and fabricate evidence in a federal investigation. The defendant’s attempt to frame an innocent person for a violent crime and collect the reward money was despicable,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “The prison sentence imposed here demonstrates that serious crimes like this carry serious consequences. I commend the work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service to quickly debunk the defendant’s lies and ensure that he is held accountable.” This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge, Matthew P. Brookman. Judge Brookman also ordered that Davis be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 18 months following his release from federal prison. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Eakman, who prosecuted this case. ###


title: Kansas man sentenced for child pornography

component: USAO - Kansas

body_text: KANSAS CITY, KAN. - A Kansas man was sentenced to 108 months in prison for distribution of child pornography. According to court documents, Bardia Behravesh, 46, of Mission, Kansas, admitted in pleading guilty that he knowingly distributed videos of child pornography online through various apps and file-sharing programs. The videos and images included minors under the age of 12 and depictions of violence. After agents discovered Behravesh sharing this content, they obtained a search warrant of his home and discovered multiple electronics which contained images and videos of child pornography. In addition to 108 months of imprisonment, his sentence included a $74,000 restitution award to the victims depicted in the images and videos, a $35,000 assessment pursuant to the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018 and $5,000 assessment pursuant to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Faiza Alhambra prosecuted the case. Project Safe Childhood 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. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . #


title: Bakersfield Men Indicted for $25 Million Tax Refund Fraud Scheme Using Stolen Identities

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — On Sept. 21, 2023, a federal grand jury returned an 11-count indictment charging Bakersfield residents Miguel Martinez, 39, and Victor Cruz, 38, for their involvement in a $25 million tax refund fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced today. Martinez and Cruz were each charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States and submission of false claims to the Internal Revenue Service. Martinez was also charged with identity theft. He has been in custody since his arrest in June 2023 on a criminal complaint. Cruz was arrested Monday at the Los Angeles airport upon his arrival from Mexico. According to court documents, between November 2019 and June 2023, the defendants and others participated in a scheme to file hundreds of fraudulent individual federal income tax returns that claimed over $25 million in refunds. The defendants used stolen identities to create fake businesses and reported phony wage and withholding information to the IRS that the businesses never actually paid. The purported owners of the businesses listed on these documents were unaware that the businesses even existed. The defendants then submitted hundreds of individual income tax returns to the IRS in the names of the individuals whose identities they had stolen, claiming tax refunds based on the income and withholding information. Cruz was a tax preparer in Bakersfield who filed a significant number of the fraudulent returns. In many cases, the fraudulent tax returns resulted in tax refunds being paid out through checks issued by the IRS. The checks were primarily cashed at businesses in Kern County. According to court documents, at arrest, Martinez was in possession of more than $750,000 in fraudulent tax refund checks and identification cards for more than 200 people. This case is the product of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph D. Barton and Henry Z. Carbajal III are prosecuting the case. If convicted, Martinez and Cruz each face a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the conspiracy count, and five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each of the false claims counts. Martinez also faces a statutory maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the identity theft count. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. martinez_criminal_complaint.pdf martinez_cruz_indictment.pdf


title: Cardiac imaging company and founder to pay historic $85M settlement

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – Cardiac Imaging Inc. (CII), headquartered in Illinois, and its founder, owner and CEO Sam Kancherlapalli, a resident of Florida, have agreed to pay a total of $85,480,000, to resolve False Claims Act allegations that they paid referring cardiologists excessive fees to supervise PET scans in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS) and the Physician Self-Referral Law (Stark Law). This is the largest single district civil settlement in the history of the Southern District of Texas (SDTX). CII agreed to pay $75 million plus additional amounts based on future revenues, while Kancherlapalli agreed to pay $10,480,000. These settlements are based on their ability to pay. “Paying illegal kickbacks to cardiologists so they refer patients undermines the integrity of federal healthcare programs and needlessly increases costs,” said Alamdar Hamdani, U.S. Attorney for the SDTX. “Patients deserve care based on their medical need and not on a doctor or company’s financial interest or gain. This outcome emphasizes my office’s commitment to pursing justice, ensuring the public’s trust in the federal healthcare system and holding the corrupt accountable.” “Healthcare providers that pursue patient referrals through illegal kickbacks and other unlawful financial arrangements will be held accountable,” said Principal Deputy Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to safeguard federal healthcare funds by rooting out financial relationships between healthcare providers and referring physicians that can corrupt medical decision making and increase the cost of care.” The United States alleged that between March 1, 2014, and May 31, 2023, CII and Kancherlapalli knowingly caused false or fraudulent claims to federal health care programs arising from violations of the AKS and the Stark Law. Specifically, with Kancherlapalli’s oversight and approval, CII allegedly paid kickbacks to referring cardiologists in the form of above-fair market value fees of $500 or more per hour, ostensibly for the cardiologists to supervise the PET scans for the patients they referred to CII. The United States alleged these fees substantially exceeded fair market value for the cardiologists’ services because CII paid the referring cardiologists for each hour CII spent scanning the cardiologists’ patients, including time the cardiologists were away from CII’s mobile scanning units providing care for other patients or were not even on site. CII’s fees also purportedly compensated the cardiologists for additional services beyond supervision that were not actually provided. CII purported to rely on a consultant’s fair market value analysis that the U.S. government contends CII knew was premised on fundamental inaccuracies about the services referring physicians provided and that the consultant ultimately withdrew. “Illegal kickback payments not only corrupt the medical decision-making process but also cause harm and financial loss to Medicare and other federally funded healthcare programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows for the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (DHHS-OIG). “DHHS-OIG works closely with our law enforcement partners to root out and hold accountable those who put profit and personal gain ahead of legitimate medical services.” In connection with the settlement, CII and Kancherlapalli entered into a five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement (CIA) with DHHS-OIG. The CIA requires, among other compliance provisions, that CII implement measures designed to ensure that arrangements with referring physicians are compliant with the AKS and the Stark Law. The CIA also requires that CII implement a centralized annual risk assessment and internal review process to identify and address the AKS and the Stark Law risks associated with arrangements and retain an Independent Review Organization to perform a systems and transactions review of arrangements. The civil settlement resolves claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Lynda Pinto, a former billing manager at CII. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam action also raises claims against CII’s former president and part-owner Richard Nassenstein, which are not resolved in this settlement. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Pinto v. Cardiac Imaging Inc., et al., No. 18-cv-2674 (S.D. Tex.). The relator’s share of the settlement has not yet been determined. The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the SDTX and the Justice Department’s Civil Division - Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and with assistance from DHHS-OIG, Defense Health Agency OIG, Railroad Retirement Board OIG and Veteran’s Affairs OIG. The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa M. Green handled the matter along with Commercial Litigation Branch Trial Attorneys Samuel R. Lehman and Jake M. Shields. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.


title: U.S. Attorney Kavanaugh Observes Domestic Violence Awareness Month

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – October marks the observance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM). United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh joins the U.S. Department of Justice in commemorating DVAM, paying tribute to victims and survivors, and saluting the dedication of advocates, service providers, justice professionals, law enforcement officers, and first responders who tirelessly work in support of survivors. Domestic violence, dating violence, and intimate partner violence can have long-lasting impacts and consequences. Approximately one in four women and one in seven men will experience severe domestic violence in their lifetimes; however, rates are disproportionately higher for American Indian and Alaska Native populations, women of Color, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and two-spirit people, and people with disabilities. DVAM provides an opportunity to spread awareness about domestic violence and encourage everyone to play a role in ending gender-based violence. “Domestic violence is not a self-contained singular problem with a singular solution. It crosses all economic, racial, educational, and cultural backgrounds, and the generational impact can be devastating,” United States Attorney Kavanaugh said today. “As federal prosecutors, we use all the tools at our disposal, along with our partnerships with state and local officials, to ensure victims have a viable path to safety and justice.” A crucial part of combatting domestic violence and reducing violent crimes includes enforcing federal firearm prohibitions. Domestic violence abusers with access to a gun are five times more likely to kill their partners. In addition to their lethality, firearms are used by abusers to inflict fear, intimidation, and coercive control. Under federal law, people with domestic violence misdemeanor and felony convictions, and those subject to domestic violence protective orders, are prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms. According to National Crime Victimization Survey data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, nearly 20% of all violent crime is categorized as domestic violence. “In the Western District of Virginia, our team of victim specialists, investigators, and prosecutors are dedicated to fostering awareness, facilitating intervention, and holding accountable those who commit acts of domestic violence,” U.S. Attorney Kavanaugh added. “We are confident that these, and other actions, will lead to more secure, violence-free communities.” If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence or need resources, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/ovw/local-resources . Immediate help for domestic violence victims: Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline (@ndvhofficial) at 1-800-799-7233 or Strong Hearts Native Helpline (@strongheartsdv) at 1-844-762-8483.


title: Nigerian National Extradited to Nebraska to Face Fraud Scheme Charge

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced the extradition of Alex Ogunshakin, 40, of Nigeria, to the District of Nebraska on a Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud Indictment, filed in August 2019 in Omaha, Nebraska. The Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria granted the United States’ request for extradition, which was submitted in May 2020. Ogunshakin, a Nigerian national, was arrested in Nigeria and ultimately surrendered to the United States. Ogunshakin had an initial appearance on the Indictment on September 29, 2023. United States Magistrate Judge Michael D. Nelson ordered Ogunshakin remain detained pending trial. Ogunshakin, who was on the FBI Cyber’s Most Wanted List, is alleged to have participated in a business email compromise (BEC) scheme from January 2015 to September 2016. The BEC scheme defrauded businesses in the District of Nebraska and elsewhere of more than $6 million. According to the indictment, Ogunshakin’s co-conspirators posed as the chief executive officer, president, owner, or other executive of the targeted company. Using e-mail accounts spoofed to make it appear as though they were from the company’s true business executive, Ogunshakin’s co-conspirators directed business employees or recipients of the e-mail to complete wire transfers. The business employees, believing the requests were legitimate, complied with the wire transfer requests and wired the money as instructed by Ogunshakin’s co-conspirators. It is alleged Ogunshakin provided bank account information to the co-conspirators who sent the fraudulent e-mails, and which directed business employees to wire money to accounts controlled by Ogunshakin and others. These bank accounts largely belonged to victims of internet romance scams, who were instructed by co-conspirators to transfer the funds to other bank accounts. Some of Ogunshakin’s co-conspirators have already been convicted and sentenced. Adewale Aniyeloye, one of the fraudsters sending the spoofed e-mails to the target business, was sentenced in February 2019 to 96 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $1,570,938.05 in restitution. Pelumi Fawehinimi, a bank account facilitator, was sentenced in March 2019 to 72 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $1,014,159.60 in restitution. Onome Ijomone, a romance scammer, was sentenced in January 2020 to 60 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $508,934.40 in restitution after his successful extradition from Poland. Other co-conspirators remain at large. FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel said, “Cyber Criminal Alex Ogunshakin worked with other co-conspirators (who remain at large and on the FBI Cyber's Most Wanted fugitive list) to defraud victims in the U.S. of millions of dollars. His indictment, arrest, and extradition should send a message to his co-conspirators and other cyber criminals: The FBI will remain vigilant in their pursuit of criminals both domestic and abroad. Disrupting these cyber criminal groups and their victimization of U.S. persons and businesses is a priority for the FBI, DOJ, and our international law enforcement partners. The FBI wishes to thank its partners in Nigeria, particularly the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Federal Ministry of Justice, and National Central Bureau, Abuja – INTERPOL (Nigeria Police Force), for their past and continued assistance in pursuing those that engage in Business Email Compromise and other fraud schemes.” This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Nigerian Ministry of Justice’s Central Authority Unit provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Ogunshakin. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Lewis County man sentenced for attempting to obstruct hate crime investigation

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Troy Anthony Pertuset, 37, of Jane Lew, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 21 months in federal prison for obstructing justice by tampering with a witness. According to court documents and statements made in court, Pertuset was arrested by the Weston Police Department and charged with a hate crime for allegedly shooting a paintball gun at an African American man and shouting racial slurs. While Pertuset was in custody, investigators say he called a witness and asked that the person take the blame for firing the gun. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jarod Douglas and Sarah Wagner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.


title: Arizona Man Charged with Domestic Violence

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Norbert Michael Tsosie appeared in federal court on an indictment charging him with assault of intimate partner by strangulation or suffocation. Tsosie, 31, of Tsalie, Arizona, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain in custody pending trial. According to court documents, Tsosie assaulted his intimate partner, Jane Doe, by strangling and attempting to suffocate her. An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Tsosie faces up to 10 years imprisonment and up to 3 years of supervised release thereafter. The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Jicarilla Apache Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Bell is prosecuting the case. # # # 23-243


title: NASHVILLE MAN FACES 30 YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON IN CONNECTION WITH JUNE 2019 HOMICIDE

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

body_text: NASHVILLE – Justin Pace, 28, of Nashville, pled guilty in federal court today in connection with a June 2019 homicide at the Super 8 Motel in Hermitage, Tennessee, announced United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis for the Middle District of Tennessee. Pace and several co-defendants were charged by a federal grand jury in August 2021 with conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery, and causing death through the use of a firearm. Two other defendants have already pleaded guilty in connection with these offenses. The charges in this case relate to the robbery of Anthony Goodall, a local drug dealer. Goodall arrived at the Super 8 Motel in the early morning hours of June 30, 2019. Pace and Donte Easley, who is now deceased, followed Goodall and robbed him after Goodall got out of an elevator in the breezeway of the motel. During the robbery, Goodall was shot and killed. Pace took Goodall’s backpack, which contained methamphetamine, and fled the scene with Easley. Surveillance footage from the motel permitted investigators to identify the assailants, who were charged in state and federal courts. Pace pled guilty to all of the charges against him. The terms of his plea agreement with the United States call for him to be sentenced to a term of 30 years’ imprisonment. “Today’s guilty plea ensures that this defendant will be removed from society for the next thirty years,” said United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis. “We will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to focus federal resources on the most violent criminals in Middle Tennessee.” The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Ben Schrader and Rachel Stephens are prosecuting the case. # # # # #


title: Ten New Orleans Residents Indicted for Possession of Vehicles Stolen from Interstate Shipments, Conspiracy, and Federal Gun and Drug Offenses

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that, on July 28, 2023, the grand jury returned a sealed 20-count indictment against NICKIE WHITLEY , age 35, ERIN MURTHIL, age 21, DARIAL MAYE , age 24, MATHEW MAYE , age 26, MISTER MACKEY, JR. , age 21, DESMOND TAYLOR , age 26, NORMAN ANDREWS , age 23, DERRIN RILEY, age 28, JONATHAN FRANK , age 39, and QUINTRELL BROWN , age 19, all residents of New Orleans. As alleged in the indictment, the defendants possessed, and conspired to possess, eight, new 2023 Ford vehicles stolen from the Norfolk Southern Automotive Distribution Facility in March, 2023. The vehicles were bound for sale at dealerships in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama when stolen from the Facility. All 10 defendants are charged in Count 1 with conspiracy to possess goods stolen from an interstate shipment—the eight Ford vehicles—in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. This count carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. All 10 defendants are also charged variously in Counts 2 through 9 with possession of goods stolen from an interstate shipment, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 659. Each of these counts charges the possession of a specific vehicle stolen from the Facility: a 2023 Ford Explorer ST (Count 2); a 2023 Ford Explorer King Ranch (Count 3); a second 2023 Ford Explorer ST (Count 4); a 2023 Ford Explorer Timberline (Count 5); a 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor Crew Cab 4x4 (Count 6); a 2023 Ford Bronco Sport Outer Banks 4x4 (Count 7); a 2023 Lincoln Aviator (Count 8); and a 2023 Ford F-150 (Count 9). Each of these counts carries a maximum term of imprisonment of ten years, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. MURTHIL is additionally charged in Count 10 with possession of a machinegun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(o) and 924(a)(2). This count carries a maximum term of imprisonment of ten years, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. WHITLEY , MACKEY, JR. , FRANK , and TAYLOR are also charged in Counts 11 through 14, respectively, with one count each, of being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). Each of these counts carries a maximum term of imprisonment of fifteen years, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. RILEY is charged in Count 15 and ANDREWS is charged in Count 17 with possession with intent to distribute tapentadol and marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(1)(D). BROWN is charged in Count 19 with possession with intent to distribute tapentadol, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C). The penalties for tapentadol are up to twenty years in prison, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and a minimum of three years of supervised release. The penalties for marijuana are up to five years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and a minimum of two years of supervised release. RILEY , ANDREWS , and BROWN are also charged in Counts 16, 18, and 20, respectively, with one count each, of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i). Each of these counts carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to life imprisonment, which is to run consecutively to all other sentences, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release. If convicted, each count also carries a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of each defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. 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 United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the Louisiana State Police, and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Uses Civil Forfeiture to Recover $18,500 for Fraud Victim

body_text: Jackson, Miss. – On September 28, 2023, U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden entered a Final Judgment of Forfeiture against $18,500.00 in U.S. Currency seized in the form of a cashier check from one of the co-conspirators of a fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Todd Gee. The funds will be returned to the victim of the scheme. According to the Verified Complaint for Forfeiture in Rem filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the co-conspirator was engaged in a business email compromise scheme (BEC) to receive fraud proceeds. A BEC is a sophisticated scam, often targeting businesses and individuals involved in wire transfer payments. The fraud is carried out by compromising and/or “spoofing” legitimate business email accounts through social engineering or computer intrusion techniques. It causes employees of the victim company (or other individuals involved in legitimate business transactions with them) to transfer funds to accounts the scammers control. The complaint was filed on June 12, alleging that on September 25, 2020, the victim received an email appearing to be from his attorney, giving him wiring instructions needed to close on a real estate transaction. The fraudulent email instructed the victim to send the funds via wire transfer to a bank account set up by a co-conspirator. Following the fraudulent instructions, the victim wired approximately $142,834.80 to the account. After an investigation, the Government seized $18,500 in the form of a cashier check that had been issued to the co-conspirator in a fictitious name. After the complaint was filed in federal court, the victim filed a claim and answer in the civil forfeiture proceeding, explaining that he had been the victim of the fraud scheme. The U.S. Attorney’s Office entered into a Stipulated Settlement Agreement with the victim and asked the Court to enter a Final Judgment ordering the return of the $18,500.00 to the victim and canceling the interests of any other person or entity. On January 29, 2021, in the Southern District of Texas, the United States filed a civil forfeiture action ( United States v. $142,869.20 in U.S. Currency , 4:21-cv-306) against the funds then remaining in the co-conspirator’s account, of which $86,671.93 remained after the account was frozen. The United States won a default judgment, and the funds have since been returned to the victim. The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. In the Southern District of Mississippi, the USAO Asset Recovery Unit team, led by AUSA Clay B. Baldwin handled the matter. Business Email Compromise schemes can be prevented. Here are some tips: • Independently obtain mortgage payoff statements and confirm with verified and trusted sources. • Independently verify the authenticity of information included in correspondence and statements. • Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) on all email accounts. • Routinely change passwords. • Routinely monitor email account access, check for unauthorized email rules and forwarding settings. • Restrict wire transfers to known and previously verified accounts. • Pay using checks when the information cannot be independently verified. • Have a clear and detailed Incident Response Plan. For more information visit the Secret Service’s Preparing for a Cyber Incident page. To learn more about the Secret Service and efforts to combat Business Email Compromise fraud, please click here .


title: New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Violating Federal Controlled Substances Act

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – EDWARD MCMILLAN , age 25, a resident of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on September 27, 2023 before U.S. District Judge Jane T. Milazzo to distributing cocaine base in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 846(b)(1)(C). According to court documents, on February 2, 2022, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives ("ATF") observed MCMILLAN conducting hand-to-hand drug transactions in Metairie, Louisiana. An ATF confidential informant drove to the area to purchase narcotics from MCMILLAN but was flagged down by MCMILLAN's co-defendant, and another individual. The confidential informant purchased 1.1 grams of cocaine base from the co-defendant and the other individual for $150. On February 9, 2022, the ATF confidential informant completed a purchase of cocaine base from MCMILLAN and the co-defendant in Metairie, Louisiana. The confidential informant asked for $100 of "hard," which MCMILLAN understood to mean crack cocaine also known as cocaine base. MCMILLAN and the co-defendant split the transaction. MCMILLAN provided three rocks of cocaine base and the co-defendant provided two rocks, totaling 0.9 grams, in exchange for $100 from the confidential informant. MCMILLAN faces a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000, a minimum of three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco, and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit.


title: Indian River County Man Who Committed Three Armed Robberies In Six-Day Spree In Melbourne And Orlando Sentenced To 17 Years

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. today sentenced Bernard Rogers (35, Sebastian) to 17 years in federal prison for committing armed robbery on July 14, 18, and 20, 2022. The court also ordered Rogers to forfeit $3,218 in cash and the firearm and ammunition possessed by Rogers when he was arrested. Rogers had pleaded guilty on June 8, 2023. According to court documents, on Thursday, July 14, 2022, Rogers entered a Cracker Barrel in Melbourne and, after approaching the cashier with items to purchase, pointed a small black firearm at her and demanded money from the register. Rogers left the store with approximately $1,000 and fled from the scene in a vehicle that he had rented. On Monday, July 18, 2022, Rogers arrived at a Dollar General in Orlando, pointed a small handgun at the cashier, demanded all the money in the drawer, and told the cashier not to “try anything.” Rogers fled with $300 in his rental vehicle. On Wednesday, July 20, 2022, Rogers entered a T.D. Bank in Melbourne, showed his gun, and told the teller to empty his drawer and not do anything “stupid.” The teller gave Rogers more than $3,000, along with a concealed GPS tracker. Law enforcement located the tracker and after a short chase, Rogers was arrested in his rental getaway car with more than $3,000, the GPS tracker, and a black Ruger .380 firearm loaded with six bullets. License plate readers and other electronic information from Roger’s phone and rental car placed him at the scenes of all three robberies. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Former Used Car Dealer Sentenced to Federal Prison For Leadership Role in $2.4 Million Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A former Massachusetts used car dealer who led a wide-ranging conspiracy to defraud financial institutions in several states, including Rhode Island, out of more than $2.8 million dollars has been sentenced to five years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. Rolando E. Estrella, 35, of Dracut, MA., the former owner of a used car dealership in Lawrence, MA, previously admitted to a federal judge in Providence that he recruited, employed, and directed others to file fraudulent used car loan applications using stolen personal identifying information and fraudulent documents, including falsified car. Once the loans were issued by financial institutions, the proceeds were deposited into bank accounts controlled by members of the conspiracy and the proceeds were then quickly withdrawn in cash. According to information presented to the court, Estrella and his co-defendants intended to defraud financial institutions of more than $2.8 million. Estrella pleaded guilty on October 1, 2022, to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, seven counts of bank fraud, and one count of fraudulent use of a Social Security number. He was sentenced today in sixty months in federal prison to be followed by three years of federal supervised release. Estrella was ordered to pay restitution to financial institutions totaling more than $2.8 million. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney G. Michael Seaman. The investigation into this fraud ring which operated throughout the northeast was conducted by the Social Security Office of Inspector General and the United States Secret Service. ###


title: Bakersfield Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing over $160,000 in COVID-19 Relief Money

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Jaswinder Bhangoo, 50, of Bakersfield, pleaded guilty today to stealing $163,750 in COVID-19 relief money, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, between May 2020 and November 2021, Bhangoo applied for over $250,000 in COVID-19 relief loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration. In the applications, Bhangoo falsely represented that he owned multiple businesses with several employees and substantial revenues. He also represented that he had not been convicted of a felony in the previous five years when, in fact, he had been convicted of insurance fraud. Based on Bhangoo’s false representations, some of his loan applications were approved, and he received approximately $163,750 in federal funds to which he was not entitled. This case is the product of an investigation by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany M. Gunter and Joseph Barton are prosecuting the case. Bhangoo is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ana de Alba on Feb. 20, 2024. Bhangoo faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. 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 effort is part of a California COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force operation, one of five interagency COVID-19 fraud strike force teams established by the U.S. Department of Justice. The California Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources in the Eastern and Central Districts of California and focuses on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces use prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.


title: Detroit, MI, Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for His Leadership Role in a Drug Trafficking Organization Targeting two of North Dakota’s Native American Reservations

component: USAO - North Dakota

body_text: FARGO – United States Attorney Mac Schneider announced that Devonsha Dabney a/k/a Kemell, age 29, of Detroit, Michigan, appeared before Chief Judge Peter D. Welte, U.S. District Court, Fargo, ND, on October 10, 2023, for his leadership in a drug trafficking organization targeting two of North Dakota’s Native American Reservations . Dabney pled guilty to Continuing Criminal Enterprise and admitted to forfeiture allegations involving US Currency, jewelry, and more. Dabney was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison, 4 years of supervised release, and $100 special assessment. This case is part of “Operation Letter to Reub,” an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation into the multi-state trafficking of oxycodone and fentanyl laced pills. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. A multi-agency investigation led by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Division of Drug Enforcement revealed that Dabney and his co-conspirators targeted areas with fewer law enforcement resources where they could distribute controlled substances at a premium price. Dabney and his coconspirators used local residences and people for distribution and stash houses to further their criminal activities for monetary gain. In total, forty-one defendants were charged in the case including members of 5674 Reub Gang, IUR (Iced Up Records), and CCL (Chicken Chaser Loyalty). Law enforcement learned of a drug trafficking organization affiliated with the 5674 Reub Gang, a violent street gang operating out of Michigan, which was involved in transporting thousands of oxycodone/fentanyl pills to North Dakota for distribution, in Bismarck, ND, Minot, ND, Fort Berthold Indian Reservation and Spirit Lake Indian Reservation. As part of this organization, in approximately 2015, Reuben Rambus began trafficking oxycodone pills from Detroit, MI, to North Dakota. After he died, his brother, Romel Rambus, took over operations and worked with the Devonsha Dabney, to distribute narcotics in North Dakota. Multiple individuals identified Devonsha as the leader of the pill operations in North Dakota beginning in approximately 2017. He recruited individuals from the Detroit, MI, area, as well as local users, to distribute pills for him and oversaw their activities. Pill supplier turned trafficker, Jonathan B. Walker, a/k/a Jay, was sentenced on October 2, 2023, to 180 months incarceration, 5 years of supervised release, and $500 in special assessment fees. Walker pled guilty to various drug trafficking offenses including Continuing Criminal Enterprise. Jonathan Walker entered the drug trafficking organization initially as a supplier of opiate pills to Dabney and others but began trafficking pills in North Dakota himself after concerns of money coming up short. Walker collaborated with others and had several individuals working under his direction. These individuals would transport shipments of pills utilizing rental vehicles to assist in the distribution and sales of pills in North Dakota and other states, as well as collect drug proceeds that were returned to Walker. “Drug traffickers who think Indian country is a soft target because of a perceived lack of law enforcement resources ought to think again,” Schneider said. “This sentence shows that if you prey on tribal communities, you will be doggedly pursued by federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and you will face justice as a defendant in federal court. The success in this case is a product of the determination of our career prosecutors and the cooperative, multi-agency approach taken by our law enforcement partners.” "We are grateful to the US Department of Justice and all other agencies. This includes our own MHA Division of Drug Enforcement, who also played a role in this investigation leading to the arrests of these individuals,” said Chairman Mark N. Fox, Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, Fort Berthold, ND . “We will continue to fight against illegal drug traffickers that are entering our boundaries and are extremely dangerous to our people." “Today as tribal and state citizens of North Dakota, we at Spirit Lake Tribe are grateful for the determined work by all agencies to combat the dangers of drug trafficking and abuse in our communities,” said Chairwoman Lona J. Street, Spirit Lake Nation, Fort Totten, ND. “This is a result of excellent teamwork displayed by all local, state, and federal agencies.” “Devonsha Dabney thought he could come out unscathed while plaguing our streets with poison,” said James Deir, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Detroit Division. “This multi-state collaborative effort with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, our federal, tribal and local partners in North Dakota resulted in Mr. Dabney finding out about accountability.” This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Division of Drug Enforcement, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (Detroit), the Drug Enforcement Administration, Ward County Narcotics Task Force, Metro Area Narcotics Task Force, Mandan Hidatsa Arikara Division of Drug Enforcement, North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation, North Dakota Crime Laboratory, and Minot Police Department. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office, with Assistant United States Attorneys Dawn Deitz and Alex Stock assigned with the assistance of lead investigator Bureau of Indian Affairs Division of Drug Enforcement Special Agent Isaiah Soldier.


title: Roane County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Kenneth Alan Paxton II, 58, of Walton, pleaded guilty today to unlawfully engaging in the business of dealing in firearms. According to court documents and statements made in court, from September 18, 2018 through August 3, 2022, Paxton regularly sold firearms without a Federal Firearms License. Paxton admitted that he advertised his sale of firearms in a local trading publication and earned approximately $25 in net profits for each transaction. Paxton further admitted that he received and carried out requests for specific firearms from individuals and often sold to individuals who didn’t want to have a firearm in their name. Twelve of the firearms Paxton sold were recovered at crimes scenes. Of those 12 firearms, seven were recovered by law enforcement at crime scenes within 16 days of Paxton purchasing them from businesses with a Federal Firearms License. Paxton is scheduled to be sentenced on January 29, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, one year of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander A. Redmon is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-154. ###


title: KC Man Sentenced to Life in Prison, Plus 15 Years, for Leading Cyberstalking Conspiracy That Resulted in Murder

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for leading a cyberstalking conspiracy that utilized GPS tracking devices to carry out the murder of another Kansas City, Mo., man by tracking him and shooting him to death in front of his minor daughter. Lester E. Brown, also known as “Lucky,” 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to life plus 15 years in federal prison without parole. On May 5, 2023, Brown was found guilty at trial of one count of conspiracy to commit cyberstalking, one count of cyberstalking resulting in death, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The court sentenced Brown to life in prison for cyberstalking resulting in death, 10 years in prison for illegally possessing a firearm, and five years in prison for conspiracy, all of which must be served consecutively. Co-defendants Michael Young, 32, of Independence, Mo., and Ronell Pearson, 36, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, have each pleaded guilty and were sentenced in June 2023 for their roles in the cyberstalking conspiracy. Young also pleaded guilty to cyberstalking resulting in death. Young was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison without parole. Pearson was sentenced to five years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Brown, Young and Pearson to pay $19,012 in restitution to compensate the murder victim’s family for funeral and burial expenses, for which they are jointly and severally liable. Murder of Christopher Harris Brown, Young, and Pearson participated in a conspiracy to engage in the cyberstalking of Christopher Harris. Brown deployed multiple GPS devices on vehicles used by Harris to track his location. Brown tracked Harris for an extended period of time. In January 2018, conspirators surveilled Harris’s girlfriend at her place of employment, and followed her to the residence she shared with Harris. In February 2018, they deployed a GPS tracking device on Harris’s black Nissan Altima, and used a tracking service to determine his real-time location. Another tracking device was deployed on Harris’s vehicle on March 12, 2018. On March 14, 2018, Brown tracked Harris to a dance studio in Raytown, Mo. With Brown driving and Young and Pearson passengers, they followed Harris’s vehicle as he drove his daughter home from dance class and dropped her off at her mother’s residence in Independence. Brown pulled up behind Harris’s vehicle, blocking Harris in the driveway. Brown got out of the car and shot a firearm multiple times into Harris’s vehicle, causing Harris to scream, “My daughter’s in the car! My daughter is in the car!” Brown fired several more rounds at Harris as he ran, shielding his daughter with his body, to the front door of the house. Harris’s daughter was able to make it inside the house unharmed, but Harris fell to the ground before he reached the house. Brown stood over him and fired two last rounds at him while he lay on the ground. Prior to his murder, conspirators had been sending threatening messages to Harris using the social media service Snapchat. These messages included photographs of GPS devices and demands for a $10,000-per-month payment to Brown. According to court documents, while in custody Brown bragged to multiple individuals about killing Christopher in front of his daughter and told them he should have killed her, too. Brown also took multiple concerted actions to obstruct the investigation and prosecution in this case. He obtained and utilized smuggled cell phones, by which he threatened the life of an FBI task force officer who was a lead investigator in his case. Brown also posted messages on Facebook in an apparent attempt to intimidate co-conspirators and others so they would not testify at trial. Brown’s conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm is related to him illegally possessing the Glock .45-caliber pistol used to murder Harris. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Brown was on supervised release following his conviction and incarceration for being a felon in possession of a firearm when he stalked and murdered Harris. Murder of Ryan Cobbins Evidence was also presented during Brown’s trial regarding the murder of Ryan Cobbins, a friend and associate of Harris. One of the Snapchat messages sent to Harris threatened, “Man, you … are gonna end up like Ryan,” which Harris took to be a reference to the murder of his friend Ryan Cobbins in 2013. Cobbins went missing on Oct. 24, 2013, following a haircut appointment. In November 2013, Brown accepted $20,000 from Harris and another person as “ransom” payment for the return of Cobbins. Brown claimed he could act as the middleman between the kidnappers and Harris, and that he could arrange the safe return of Cobbins. On Dec. 31, 2014, Cobbins was found dead from multiple gunshot wounds. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew P. Wolesky and Nicholas P. Heberle. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, and the FBI.


title: U.S. Navy Sailor Pleads Guilty to Transmitting Sensitive U.S. Military Information to Chinese Intelligence Officer

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A United States Navy service member pleaded guilty today to federal felony offenses and admitted he transmitted sensitive U.S. military information to an intelligence officer from the People’s Republic of China in exchange for bribery payments. Petty Officer Wenheng Zhao, 26, also known as Thomas Zhao, of Monterey Park, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring with the intelligence officer and one count of receiving a bribe. Zhao, who worked at Naval Base Ventura County in Port Hueneme and held a U.S. security clearance, admitted he engaged in a corrupt scheme to collect and transmit sensitive U.S. military information to the intelligence officer in violation of his official duties. Between August 2021 and at least May 2023, Zhao admitted receiving at least $14,866 in at least 14 separate bribe payments from the intelligence officer. In exchange for the illicit payments, Zhao surreptitiously collected and transmitted to the intelligence officer sensitive, non-public information regarding U.S. Navy operational security, military trainings and exercises, and critical infrastructure. Zhao admitted he entered restricted military and naval installations to collect and record this information. Zhao specifically admitted to transmitting plans for a large-scale maritime training exercise in the Pacific theatre, operational orders, and electrical diagrams and blueprints for a Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar system located in Okinawa, Japan. Zhao further admitted to using sophisticated encrypted communication methods to transmit the information, destroying evidence, and concealing his relationship with the intelligence officer. Zhao’s conduct violated his official duties to protect such information and the oath he swore to protect the United States. “Officer Zhao betrayed his country and the men and women of the U.S. Navy by accepting bribes from a foreign adversary,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “While he and the PRC officer he served took great pains to conceal their corrupt scheme, investigators were vigilant in uncovering this shameful plot. Today’s resolution, requiring Zhao to plead guilty to all charges against him, shows that we will act swiftly and decisively to protect our nation from those who seek to undermine our security.” “The intelligence services of the People’s Republic of China actively target clearance holders across the military, seeking to entice them with money to provide sensitive government information,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen. “When contacted by his coconspirator, rather than reporting it to the Navy, the Defendant chose greed over protecting the national security of the United States. He is now being held accountable for his crimes. To others tempted to put personal profit ahead of patriotic duty, know that we are committed to identifying you and bringing you to justice.” “Mr. Zhao’s admission makes it clear that he abandoned the oath he swore to uphold by providing sensitive information to a U.S. adversary in exchange for cash,” said Donald Alway, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. "Zhao put his fellow servicemen at risk when he yielded to overtures from the Chinese government, a nation actively targeting Americans who have access to state secrets. I’m proud of the strong partnerships and hard work that resulted in today’s successful outcome.” “NCIS would like to once again thank our partners at the FBI and Department of Justice for their continued assistance in bringing this case to a quick resolution,” said A.D. Cruz Jr., Acting Special Agent in Charge of Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Office of Special Projects. The swift action by the Department of Justice in prosecuting this case should serve as a warning to anyone who willingly or through willful negligence attempt to compromise the Department of the Navy’s sensitive information or the security of our warfighters. No matter how long it takes, we will find you and hold you to account. To those still working to assist our adversaries, find your nearest NCIS or FBI office and cooperate before we come for you.” Zhao pleaded guilty before United States District Judge R. Gary Klausner, who scheduled a January 8, 2024, sentencing hearing. As a result of today’s guilty pleas, Zhao faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison – five years for the conspiracy count and 15 years for the bribery charge. Zhao has been in custody since his arrest on August 3. The FBI’s Counterintelligence and Cyber Division of the Los Angeles Field Office and NCIS conducted the investigation. IRS Criminal Investigation provided substantial assistance. Assistant United States Attorneys Annamartine Salick, Sarah Gerdes, Christine Ro and Kathrynne Seiden of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section are prosecuting this case, with assistance from Ryan Waters of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section. The Counterintelligence and Export Control Section at the Department of Justice is providing substantial assistance.


title: Holly Ridge Man Sentenced to More Than 22 Years for Producing Child Pornography

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: NEW BERN, N.C. – A Holly Ridge man was sentenced today to 270 months imprisonment followed by a lifetime of supervised release for Production of Child Pornography. Aaron Halbeisen, age 35, pled guilty to the charge on March 15, 2023. According to court documents and other information presented in court, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations and the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office initiated an investigation of Halbeisen in June 2019 following a tip from the Queensland Police Service in Australia, who were conducting an undercover investigation into an image sharing website. During the undercover investigation, one of the users posted a picture of a small child that constituted child pornography. The IP address used to upload the photograph was leased by Halbeisen with an associated address in Holly Ridge, North Carolina. Homeland Security agents and detectives with Onslow County Sheriff’s Office went to Halbeisen’s residence and confronted him about the photograph. Halbeisen admitted he had taken the photograph and acknowledged the child was someone with whom he had contact. A search warrant was obtained for the residence to search any digital devices for additional contraband images. When Halbeisen’s digital devices were searched, additional images of the child were located on his phone that also constituted child pornography. In addition, agents located hundreds of images of child pornography unrelated to the minor child. Agents also found numerous chats between Halbeisen and another user of the image sharing website wherein the two discussed the sexual abuse of minors as well as traded images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the sentencing was concluded. U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan presided over the sentencing. The Department of Homeland Security Investigations and Onslow County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charity Wilson prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:20-CR33-FL


title: Two New Jersey Men Plead Guilty To Defrauding Investors In Hemp Company

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that VITALY FARGESEN and IGOR PALATNIK each pled guilty to one count of conspiring to commit securities fraud and one count of conspiring to commit wire fraud in connection with their fraudulent scheme to defraud investors in CanaFarma Corp. and later CanaFarma Hemp Products Corp. (together “CanaFarma”) by soliciting funds based upon false and misleading representations, failing to invest investors’ funds as promised, and secretly misappropriating millions of dollars of CanaFarma funds. FARGESEN and PALATNIK pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Loretta A. Preska. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Vitaly Fargesen and Igor Palatnik orchestrated a sophisticated scheme to obtain millions of dollars from investors with the promise that their money would be spent on building a legitimate company. Instead, they lied about their business, lied to their auditors, and stole millions of dollars of investor funds. Today’s guilty pleas reflect my Office’s commitment to prosecuting those who greedily lie to investors to line their own pockets.” According to the allegations contained in the Indictment and statements made in public filings and in public court proceedings: From in or about March 2019 to in or about March 2020, CanaFarma was a privately held Delaware corporation with offices in New York, New York. Beginning on or about March 19, 2020, CanaFarma was listed on the Canadian Stock Exchange, and beginning on or about March 23, 2020, CanaFarma was listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. CanaFarma marketed itself to the investors as a “fully integrated cannabis company addressing the entire cannabis spectrum from seed to delivery of consumer products.” To the public, FARGESEN was held out as Senior Vice President of Strategic Planning at CanaFarma and PALATNIK was held out as Senior Vice President of Product Acquisition at CanaFarma. In truth, the two men exercised full control of CanaFarma but hid their control from the investing public by, among things, convincing an experienced businessman to falsely present himself to the market as the CEO of the company. Using their control of CanaFarma, FARGESEN and PALATNIK devised and carried out a scheme to defraud CanaFarma’s investors by soliciting approximately $14 million in funds, including investments in private shares of CanaFarma, with false and misleading representations concerning the company’s management, products, and financials; failing to invest investors’ funds as promised; and secretly misappropriating at least $4 million of CanaFarma funds for their own benefit. FARGESEN and PALATNIK effectuated the scheme by, among other things, controlling CanaFarma through a nominal Chief Executive Officer who reported to FARGESEN and PALATNIK, lying to investors regarding CanaFarma’s actual and anticipated operations, attempting to artificially inflate CanaFarma’s reported revenue, making false statements to CanaFarma’s auditors, and misappropriating millions of dollars of investor funds. * * * FARGESEN, 54, of Manalapan, New Jersey, and PALATNIK, 49, of Morganville, New Jersey, each pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which combined carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge. FARGESEN is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Preska on January 30, 2024, at 10:00 a.m., and PALATNIK is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Preska on January 11, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Williams also thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which has filed a parallel civil action. The case is being overseen by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Margaret Graham, Adam Hobson, Sarah Mortazavi, and Andrew Thomas are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Lodge Grass woman admits trafficking meth, fentanyl in multi-state drug ring centered on Crow Indian Reservation

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: BILLNGS — A Lodge Grass woman today admitted to trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl as part of a large-scale, multiple-state narcotics organization that was centered on the Crow Indian Reservation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Yvon Lizbeth Lopez-Flores, 29, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Lopez-Flores faces a mandatory minimum of five years of imprisonment, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release. U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. A sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Lopez-Flores was detained pending further proceedings. In court documents, the government alleged that federal law enforcement, in a collaborative effort with local and tribal law enforcement, conducted a large-scale, multiple-state investigation into narcotics trafficking centered on multiple properties on the Crow Indian Reservation. The properties, including one referred to as Spear Siding, were a source of supply for meth for both the Crow and Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservations. Lopez-Flores is one of the individuals associated with the investigation. In July 2022, law enforcement learned that Lopez-Flores was identified as a distributor of meth and was working with several individuals on the Crow and Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys are prosecuting the case. The Bureau of Indian Affairs, Drug Enforcement Administration and FBI conducted the investigation. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. XXX


title: Former Cincinnati City Council member sentenced to 16 months in prison for bribery, attempted extortion

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: CINCINNATI – Former Cincinnati City Council member Alexander “P.G.” Sittenfeld, 39, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 16 months in prison for bribery and attempted extortion by a government official. Sittenfeld was convicted following a jury trial in June and July 2022. “Sittenfeld earned today’s prison sentence,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “A jury of his peers reviewed the evidence against him and found him guilty. Now, he must be accountable for his actions. Not only did he break the law, but he also violated the public’s trust. Public service is just that: public service, not self service.” According to court documents and trial testimony, Sittenfeld accepted $20,000 in bribe payments to his political action committee (PAC) from undercover FBI agents posing as corrupt businessmen working with a real estate developer. Sittenfeld knowingly received the $20,000 in bribe payments in return for guaranteeing votes for a development project at 435 Elm St. Sittenfeld told the undercover agents he could “deliver the votes.” Trial testimony detailed that Sittenfeld’s typical fundraising strategy was to use his power over city business to extract campaign contributions from individuals who regularly conducted business with the city. Sittenfeld instructed his staff to create a list and track individuals with business before the city so he could identify and target donors. For example, Sittenfeld solicited the real estate developer to collect $10,000 in contributions to the former council member for Sittenfeld’s support of the developer’s efforts. In total, Sittenfeld accepted eight $5,000 checks in 2018 and 2019 from the undercover FBI agents. The latter $20,000 was received from the undercover agents for help with their sports book. Sittenfeld’s PAC records do not list the undercover agents as the source of the $40,000 total that he received directly from them, and his ethics disclosures failed to list expensive gifts and dinners he received from the undercover agents. Sittenfeld was indicted in November 2020. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Court Judge Douglas R. Cole. Deputy Criminal Chief Emily N. Glatfelter and Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew C. Singer and Megan Gaffney Painter represented the United States in this case. # # #


title: Delray Beach convicted felon pleads guilty to discharging firearm in Allapattah Flats Wildlife Management Area

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – On Oct. 4, a man pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon after discharging a firearm in the Allapattah Flats Wildlife Management Area in Martin County, Florida. Dominic Elvir, 26, of Delray Beach, discharged a Glock, model 19, 9mm pistol into the air in the Allapattah Flats Wildlife Management Area. Law enforcement agents located a video of Elvir on a social media platform discharging the firearm. In 2019, Elvir was previously convicted of burglary and grand theft. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 21, before United States District Court Judge Aileen M. Cannon. Elvir faces up to 10 years in federal prison. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Office, announced the guilty plea. ATF Fort Pierce Field Office and HSI Fort Pierce Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hudock is prosecuting it. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 22-cr-14058. ###


title: DC Solar Attorney Indicted in the DC Solar Billion Dollar Ponzi Scheme

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On Oct. 5, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a 23‑count indictment against Ari J. Lauer, 59, of Lafayette, charging him with conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud, bank fraud, and wire fraud affecting a financial institution, for his role in the biggest criminal fraud scheme in the history of the Eastern District of California, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. Lauer is an attorney licensed to practice law in California, and from approximately 2009 to January 2019, he was outside counsel to DC Solar and provided legal and business advice concerning DC Solar’s operations. The indictment was unsealed today following Lauer’s arrest. According to court documents, between 2011 and 2018, DC Solar manufactured mobile solar generators that were mounted on trailers. The company touted the versatility and environmental sustainability of the generators and claimed that they were used to provide emergency power to cellphone towers and lighting at sporting and other events. A significant incentive for investors were generous federal tax credits due to the solar nature of the generators. Jeff Carpoff, 52, Paulette Carpoff, 49, both of Martinez, and their co-conspirators solicited investors to invest in the generators in large multimillion-dollar transactions using a variety of fraudulent techniques. A key part of the fraud was that investors would never actually take possession of the generators. Instead, DC Solar typically leased those generators back from the investors, and claimed to sublease them to third parties to generate revenue. In reality there was very little actual third-party rental demand for the generators, yet when Lauer and the other co-conspirators learned this, they continued to represent falsely to investors that the rental market for the generators was robust. In June 2012, Lauer, Jeff Carpoff, and others met to discuss the failure to generate third-party lease revenue sufficient to meet their financial obligations to the investors. The conspirators agreed to conceal that lack of third-party lease revenue from current and prospective investors, by, among other things, making periodic transfers of investor money from one account to another while misrepresenting the flow of funds as third-party lease revenue. Lauer and other members of the conspiracy created a circular payment system they referred to as “re-rent.” In 2014, they created a “re-rent agreement,” backdating the document to 2011, and used it to explain the large sums of money being transferred from one account to another. In fact, the real source of money was new investor money, which was being used to pay obligations to existing investors. The indictment further alleges that Lauer and other members of the conspiracy prepared sublease agreements with “concealed addendums” that materially altered the terms of the contracts. They used the sublease agreements to defraud investors. Between March 2011 and Dec. 18, 2018, investors collectively invested approximately $759,400,000 and several financial institutions and other investors transferred collectively $152,700,000 to DC Solar as part of related transactions for the purchase and lease of generators. In total, DC Solar closed transactions with investors that contributed an aggregate of more than $912 million to purchase generators. Those transactions purportedly involved approximately 17,000 generators, at approximately $2.5 billion in purported value. During the conspiracy, approximately 94% to 95% of the supposed lease revenue on the books was actually intercompany transfers disguised as new investor money. In truth, third-party end-user demand for generators never exceeded 5% of the revenue that was claimed. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Audrey Hemesath is prosecuting the case. On Nov. 9, 2021, Jeff Carpoff was sentenced to 30 years in prison and ordered to pay $790,600,000 in restitution for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. His wife Paulette Carpoff pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States and money laundering. She was sentenced on June 28, 2022, to 11 years and three months in prison. On Nov. 16, 2021, Joseph W. Bayliss, 48, of Martinez, was sentenced to three years in prison and ordered to pay $481,300,000 in restitution for securities fraud and conspiracy in connection with the DC Solar scheme. On April 12, 2022, DC Solar CFO Robert A. Karmann, 57, of Clayton, was sentenced to six years in prison and ordered to pay $624 million. On May 31, 2022, Alan Hansen was sentenced to eight years in prison for conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States and aiding and abetting money laundering. Ryan Guidry, 48, of Pleasant Hill, was sentenced on Jan. 31, 2023, to six years and six months in prison and ordered to pay $619,415,950 in restitution for to conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States and aiding and abetting money laundering. Ronald J. Roach, 55, of Walnut Creek, pleaded guilty to criminal offenses related to the fraud scheme and is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 14, 2023. Roach faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years prison. 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. lauer_indictment.pdf


title: Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Thomas V. Ratcliff, also known as “Twin,” 31, of South Point, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 7, 2022, law enforcement officers arrested Ratcliff at a Marcum Terrace residence in Huntington on an outstanding Wayne County Circuit Court arrest warrant. Following the arrest, officers executed a search warrant of the residence and found approximately 29 grams of methamphetamine, digital scales, and a loaded Hi-Point 9mm pistol. Ratliff admitted that he possessed the methamphetamine and intended to sell it for money. Ratcliff is scheduled to be sentenced January 22, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force, and the Huntington Police Department. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-2. ###


title: Mount Vernon Man Pleads Guilty To Elaborate Check Fraud Scheme

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Patrick J. Freaney, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the United States Secret Service (“USSS”), and Edward A. Caban, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced that ISHMAEL BENREUBEN pled guilty today to participating in a conspiracy to deposit approximately $760,000 in fraudulent checks into bank accounts across New York, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C., and to fraudulently withdrawing approximately $115,000 from those accounts. BENREUBEN pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “My Office is committed to protecting the integrity of the United States banking system and the United States mail. The defendant engaged in a scheme to steal three quarters of a million dollars by stealing real checks from the mail, forging the checks, falsifying identities, and taking advantage of multiple financial institutions. The defendant’s fraudulent scheme affected real people and their businesses. Today, he has been held accountable for his brazen conduct.” USSS Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Freaney said: “The defendant committed malicious fraud for his own personal gain. With today’s guilty plea, he can no longer endanger the community. This case should serve as a strong deterrent for criminal actors considering taking part in similar fraud schemes. The U.S. Secret Service and its law enforcement partners will continue to investigate and pursue prosecution of these crimes in order to safeguard our communities.” NYPD Commissioner Edward A. Caban said: “The charges Mr. Benreuben pled guilty to today are not victimless crimes. In addition to compromising the integrity of our nation’s mail system, these offenses harm the people whose mail is stolen and the public at large. The NYPD will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners, including the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, to always ensure that anyone who steals checks and commits fraud is held fully accountable.” According to the filings and statements made in Manhattan federal court: From approximately September 2021 through March 2022, BENREUBEN and others orchestrated an elaborate forgery and fraud scheme. In furtherance of the scheme, BENREUBEN stole checks from the mail, forged and altered the stolen checks, deposited the checks into bank accounts across New York, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C. belonging to 26 co-conspirators, and then rapidly withdrew the funds before the banks could void the checks or shut down the accounts. The checks ranged in amounts from approximately $5,000 to $42,000 and were drawn from the accounts of real businesses and individuals throughout the Northeast. In total, BENREUBEN and his co-conspirators deposited approximately $760,000 in fraudulent checks and withdrew approximately $115,000 before the banks shut down the affected accounts. Upon his arrest, BENREUBEN was found hiding under a couch at a co-conspirator’s home and was in possession of numerous images of the personal identifiable information on individuals’ identification cards, debit cards, and social security cards. * * * BENREUBEN, 26, of Mount Vernon, New York, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison; one count of bank fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison; and one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory prison term of two years, which must run consecutively to any other prison term. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as BENREUBEN’s sentence will be determined by Judge Rakoff. BENREUBEN is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Rakoff on January 10, 2024, at 4:00 p.m. Mr. Williams praised the exceptional investigative work of the USSS and NYPD. This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda C. Weingarten, Diarra M. Guthrie, and Nicholas Folly are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Manatí School Security Guard Indicted for Child Exploitation

component: USAO - Puerto Rico

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On October 6, 2023, Special agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) arrested Pedro Juan Molina-Falconi, a 34-year-old security guard from a school in Manatí, P.R. A federal grand jury indicted Molina-Falconi on October 5, 2023, with three-counts for coercion and enticement of a minor, receipt of child exploitation material, and transfer of obscene material to a minor. This HSI-led investigation was conducted in collaboration with the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB) and the Puerto Rico Department of Education (PRDE). According to court documents, between June and August 2023, Molina-Falconi used a cellular phone and an internet instant messaging platform to coerce a fifteen-year-old female minor to engage in sexual activity. During the same period the security guard, knowingly received child exploitation material and transferred obscene material to the fifteen-year-old female minor. “These types of crimes cause immeasurable harm to both the child victims and their families,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “We will continue to work closely with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to identify, prosecute, and hold accountable those who exploit our children.” Special Agent in Charge Rebecca González-Ramos stated: “The defendant in this case was a security guard of a school in Manatí, holding a position of public trust. He used his position of trust to take advantage of a minor within the safe space of our schools. HSI prioritizes the safety and well-being of our children, working together with the PRPB and the PRDE, to create a secure learning environment, we will not tolerate predators’ presence in our schools.” Assistant U.S. Attorney Emelina Agrait-Barreto of the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit is prosecuting the case. If convicted, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years to life in prison for coercion and enticement of a minor; a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years up to 20 years for receipt of child exploitation material; and up to 10 years in prison for the transfer of obscene material to a minor. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. After his initial appearance in court, the defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals. For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit https://www.ice.gov/topics/iGuardiansArr; and to denounce suspicious activities call 787-729-6969. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. 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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Tax Preparer Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison for Preparing at Least 23 Fraudulent Returns

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Tuesday sentenced a tax preparer from Jennings, Missouri to 51 months in prison for preparing at least 23 fraudulent tax returns. Judge Autrey also ordered Darius D. Cobb to pay restitution of $85,584. Cobb, 52, prepared at least 200 tax returns for the tax years 2017 and 2018. In at least 23 of those, Cobb included false information. He included fake W-2 forms with false wages and withholdings, false Schedule C forms reporting profit or loss from a business even if the taxpayer was not a business owner, false claims for the American Opportunity Credit for educational expenses and false information about dependents. “Mr. Cobb admitted that he knowingly prepared false returns for others in order to illegally obtain inflated refunds for his clients,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Bill Steenson, IRS Criminal Investigation, St. Louis Field Office. “We work alongside our partners in the U.S. Attorney’s Office throughout the year to investigate and prosecute dishonest tax return preparers. Let this be a warning to others who may be thinking about engaging in this type of illicit activity.” Cobb pleaded guilty in April to two felony counts of aiding in the preparation of a false and fraudulent tax return. The case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Roy prosecuted the case.


title: Blair County Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Violating Federal Child Exploitation and Firearms Laws

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Altoona, Pa., has been sentenced in federal court to 168 months in prison and a lifetime term of supervised release on his conviction of violating a federal child pornography law, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Senior United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson imposed the sentence on Jamie Lee Richardson, 53, of Altoona, Pa. According to information presented to the court, on or about October 30, 2014, Richardson did knowingly distribute a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct in individual computer graphic files which were produced using prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. All computer graphic files were shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce. Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. This case was brought as a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. Mr. Olshan commended the Department of Homeland Security Investigations for theinvestigation that led to the successful prosecution of Richardson.