title: Lake Charles Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm and Ammunition

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

body_text: LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Joseph Carlton Etienne , 40, of Lake Charles was sentenced this week in the Lake Charles Division of the Western District of Louisiana. United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. sentenced Etienne to 71 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for illegal possession of a firearm. According to information presented in court, on or about September 7, 2022, Etienne was located at a Dollar General by detectives with the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office for outstanding warrants. Etienne attempted to leave the Dollar General after observing law enforcement there and he was stopped and arrested. Law enforcement officers found Etienne in possession of a Glock 9mm handgun and ammunition inside his vehicle. Etienne has several prior felony convictions, including possession of controlled dangerous substances, resisting an officer, and attempted possession of a weapon by a convicted felon and knew he was prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition. A federal grand jury returned an indictment in March 2024 charging him with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Etienne pleaded guilty to the charge on September 6, 2024, and admitted to possessing the firearm and ammunition knowing he was prohibited from doing so. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Casey N. Richmond. 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn . # # #


title: Air and Marine Operations Interdicts Vessel Carrying  188 Kilos of Cocaine - Two Defendants Charged Federally

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI — Two Bahamian nationals have been charged by criminal complaint with attempting to smuggle approximately 188 kilograms of cocaine into the United States via a water vessel. According to the criminal complaint, on Jan. 5 at approximately 11 a.m., Air and Marine Operations (AMO) Marine Interdiction agents from the Fort Lauderdale and Miami Marine Units were notified by the Air and Marine Operations Center (AMOC) of a suspicious vessel enroute to the Port Everglades Inlet in the Southern District of Florida. Agents responded and launched multiple Coastal Interceptor Vessels (CIV) to stop the approaching vessel. Using constant position, course, and speed updates from the AMOC, they were able to intercept a Contender Center Console vessel with Alfred Lynton Laing and Runo Traveeno Laing, both of the Bahamas, on board approximately four nautical miles from Hillsboro Inlet. The vessel was escorted to a nearby harbor for a thorough and safe inspection. During the inspection, Marine Interdiction agents discovered approximately 188 kilograms of individually wrapped bricks of cocaine hidden within the vessel. Alfred and Runo Laing are scheduled to be arraigned on Jan. 21 at 11 a.m. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, AMO Executive Director Andres “Andy” Blanco, and Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division, made the announcement. AMO and DEA investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nardia Haye is prosecuting it. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 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 25-cr-6004. ###


title: United States Enters into Agreement with Nigeria to Transfer $52.88M in Forfeited Corruption Proceeds for Uses to Benefit the Nigerian People

component: Criminal Division

body_text: Note: View the agreement here. The Justice Department announced today that the United States entered into an agreement to transfer approximately $52.88 million in forfeited assets to the Federal Republic of Nigeria in recognition of Nigeria’s assistance to the department in an investigation into corruption in the Nigerian oil industry. “This agreement recognizes the close law enforcement relationship between the United States and Nigeria and Nigeria’s vital assistance that contributed to the successful forfeiture of millions of dollars of corruption proceeds,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brent S. Wible, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Our strong coordination with international partners to trace and recover assets leaves corrupt actors few places to hide their ill-gotten gains. Today’s agreement to return nearly $53 million in forfeited funds to support Nigeria and its people through electrification projects and cross-border efforts to combat terrorism demonstrates forfeiture’s power as a tool to help remediate the harms of corruption and to invest in our global fight against terrorism.” “The FBI remains steadfast in its commitment to the global fight against corruption,” said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “By ensuring these forfeited funds are repatriated to Nigeria to benefit the Nigerian people through critical projects and counterterrorism efforts, the FBI reaffirms our dedication to promoting transparency and dismantling the systems that enable corruption to thrive.” “The repatriation of these funds to Nigeria to benefit the citizens of Nigeria is one of the primary goals of the Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative,” said Chief Guy Ficco of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). “IRS-CI is proud to partner with the global law enforcement community in this initiative to restore these vital resources to the projects and programs that promote Nigeria’s continued prosperity.” These assets were forfeited as part of an investigation by the Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative of the International Unit of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS), a dedicated team that seeks to forfeit the proceeds of foreign official corruption and, where appropriate, repatriate those assets to the countries harmed by corruption for the benefit of their people. According to court documents, from 2011 to 2015, Nigerian businessmen Kolawole Akanni Aluko and Olajide Omokore conspired with others to pay bribes to Nigeria’s former Minister for Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke. In return, Alison-Madueke used her influence to steer lucrative oil contracts to companies owned by Aluko and Omokore. Proceeds from the scheme of more than $100 million were then laundered into and through the United States and used to purchase various assets, including luxury real estate in California and New York as well as the Galactica Star, a 65-meter superyacht. The real estate was also used as collateral for loans to Aluko and shell companies he controlled. As part of the forfeiture process, those lien holders were paid. The assets were forfeited as a result of corruption, bribery, money laundering, and other illegal acts in violation of Nigerian and U.S. law. The Federal Repubic of Nigeria provided crucial assistance to the United States leading to the forfeitures, including providing extensive evidentiary and investigative support. The agreement was signed in Abuja, Nigeria, today by Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice of Nigeria Lateef O. Fagbemi, SAN, and U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria Richard M. Mills Jr. Under the agreement, $50 million of the recovered funds will be dedicated to an expansion of the Distributed Access Through Renewable Energy Scale-Up project, an existing electrification project funded, in part, by the International Development Association and implemented by the Nigerian Rural Electrification Agency. This program is intended to increase access to electricity services in Nigeria with renewable energy generation. Approximately $2.88 million of the forfeited funds will be used towards Nigeria’s contribution to the International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law (IIJ) and used to support capacity-building for criminal justice sector practitioners and relevant stakeholders in the region, including through activities focused on countering the financing of terrorism, development and implementation of the Counter-Terrorism Academic Curriculum of the IIJ, and institutional support for the IIJ particularly in the North, West, and East Africa regions. The agreement contains key measures designed to promote transparency and accountability. Under the agreement, the $50 million dedicated to electrification programs will be managed and disbursed through a World Bank trust fund, subject to World Bank oversight controls, auditing, and publication requirements. Similarly, the IIJ counterterrorism and rule of law programs will be subject to external auditing, periodic progress reporting, and public reporting. These forfeiture actions were prosecuted by MLARS’ International Unit. The FBI and IRS-CI investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided critical assistance. The Criminal Division, through MLARS’ International Unit, administers the Justice Department’s international asset forfeiture sharing program. Pursuant to federal law, and in coordination with the Departments of the Treasury and State, the Attorney General may share proceeds of successful forfeiture of property with foreign countries that participate in the seizure or forfeiture of the property.


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Secures 20-Year Sentence for Repeat Offender in Armed Robbery Spree

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man was sentenced in federal court to 20 years in prison for a series of armed robberies committed in February and March 2022 after he absconded from a federal halfway house. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court documents, Xavior Akina , 28, committed the following crimes: On February 23, 2022, Akina robbed a Chevron gas station in Los Lunas at gunpoint, stealing money, cigarettes, and an energy drink. On February 25, 2022, Akina robbed a Circle K in Los Lunas, again using a silver handgun to demand money from the clerk. On March 12, 2022, Akina robbed another Circle K in Albuquerque, shooting and injuring the clerk during the incident. On March 13, 2022, Akina committed two more armed robberies in Albuquerque, targeting a DK convenience store and a Sally's Beauty Store. Prior to his crime spree, Akina had absconded from a federal halfway house. Akina 's criminal history includes a prior conviction for armed robbery of a pizza delivery person in 2018, for which he was sentenced to 84 months in prison. Upon his release from prison, Akina will be subject to three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel A. Hurtado prosecuted the case. # # #


title: Former Police Commissioner and Former Director of the Virgin Islands Office of Management and Budget Charged in Bribery Scheme

body_text: An indictment was unsealed today charging Ray Martinez, the former police commissioner of the Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD), and Jenifer O’Neal, the former director of the Virgin Islands Office of Management and Budget, with participating in a bribery and money laundering conspiracy. Both defendants made their initial court appearances today in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. According to court documents, Martinez, 56, and O’Neal, 53, both of St. Thomas, accepted bribes from a then-government contractor, David Whitaker. The indictment alleges that the scheme began in at least November 2022 and continued until June 2024, with O’Neal joining the scheme no later than January 2024. The defendants also allegedly conspired to launder proceeds from the bribery scheme through a monetary transaction to pay rent on O’Neal’s coffee shop. In exchange for the bribes paid by the government contractor, Martinez and O’Neal, among other official acts, allegedly agreed to approve fraudulently inflated invoices and assist with obtaining payment for those invoices by the Virgin Islands to Whitaker. Martinez also agreed to assist Whitaker in obtaining a $1.48 million contract to provide services to the VIPD in October 2023. Additionally, after the investigation was originally made public, Martinez allegedly obstructed the investigation by encouraging Whitaker to destroy evidence associated with Martinez’s criminal activity and produced falsified documents in response to a subpoena. Martinez and O’Neal are each charged with five counts of honest services wire fraud, which each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; one count of federal program bribery, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison; and one count of money laundering conspiracy, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Martinez is also charged with two counts of obstruction of justice, which each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brent S. Wible, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Delia Smith for the District of the Virgin Islands; and Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement. The FBI San Juan Field Office, St. Thomas Resident Agency is investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Alexandre Dempsey and Steve Loew of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Conley for the District of the Virgin Islands are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Commissioner of Virgin Islands Department of Sports, Parks, and Recreation and Co-Conspirator Charged in Bribery Scheme

body_text: An indictment was unsealed today charging Calvert White, the commissioner of the Virgin Islands Department of Sports, Parks, and Recreation (SP&R), and Benjamin Hendricks, a local businessman, with participating in a bribery scheme. Both defendants made their initial court appearances today in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. According to court documents, White, 49, of St. Thomas, solicited and accepted a bribe from a then-government contractor, David Whitaker, through Hendricks, 62, also of St. Thomas, who acted as an intermediary. The indictment alleges that the scheme began in at least December 2023 and continued until June 2024. In exchange for the bribe paid by Whitaker, White allegedly agreed to assist Whitaker in obtaining a $1.43 million contract with SP&R. White, amongst other acts, allegedly provided confidential bid information to Whitaker and took official action to encourage the awarding of the contract to Whitaker. Hendricks allegedly served as a middleman for the payments and facilitated the bribery scheme. White and Hendricks are each charged with one count of honest services wire fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; and one count of federal program bribery, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brent S. Wible, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Delia Smith for the District of the Virgin Islands; and Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement. The FBI San Juan Field Office, St. Thomas Resident Agency is investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Alexandre Dempsey and Steve Loew of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Conley for the District of the Virgin Islands are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Justice Department Secures Civil Forfeiture of Over $20M in Foreign Bribery and Money Laundering Proceeds from Venezuelan Bribery Scheme

body_text: MIAMI – On Jan. 8, U.S. District Judge Melissa Damian entered a final judgment forfeiting to the United States over $20 million in foreign bribery and money laundering proceeds, including interest. On Aug. 9, 2023, the Justice Department filed a civil forfeiture complaint against approximately $21,248,434.25 in U.S. currency alleging that the funds were proceeds of foreign bribery and money laundering offenses. As alleged in the complaint, from 2008 to 2014, a Venezuelan national, Naman Wakil, controlled a number of companies that sold food products to Venezuela’s state-owned food agency, Corporacion de Abastecimiento y Servicios Agricola (CASA). To obtain these food contracts, Wakil paid tens of millions of dollars in bribes to multiple presidents of CASA. As a result of those bribes, Wakil, through his companies, obtained hundreds of millions of dollars in proceeds into accounts he controlled in the Cayman Islands and Switzerland. Wakil laundered the proceeds from the scheme into South Florida and elsewhere. “This forfeiture is a reminder that the United States is prepared to uphold the integrity of the U.S. financial system against those who elect to launder ill-gotten gains by depositing and transferring those funds through U.S. financial accounts and acquiring assets in an attempt to cover their tracks,” said Markenzy Lapointe, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. “This significant forfeiture underscores the HSI Miami El Dorado Task Force’s commitment to safeguarding the U.S. financial system from illicit activities. We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that those who seek to launder money through our financial institutions are held accountable," said José R. Figueroa Acting Special Agent in Charge Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami. “This announcement underscores our commitment to holding accountable those who engage in foreign bribery and money laundering,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Hipkins of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Miami Field Office. “This forfeiture of more than $20 million demonstrates our resolve to disrupt criminal networks and ensure their corrupt practices do not go unpunished. We will continue to use every tool at our disposal to combat financial crimes that undermine the rule of law and global stability.” U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of HSI Miami, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Hipkins of IRS-CI Miami Field Office made the announcement. HSI Miami Field Office and IRS-CI Miami Field Office investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marx P. Calderón, Michael Berger, and Joshua Paster prosecuted this case. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 23-cv-22987. ###


title: Former Massachusetts Police Officer Sentenced to Prison for Trafficking Counterfeit Luxury Watches Imported from China

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that KLEVIS NAKO, 24, of Worcester, Massachusetts, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to 60 days of imprisonment, followed by 18 months of supervised release, for his participation in a conspiracy to sell counterfeit luxury and designer brand watches imported from China. According to court documents and statements made in court, from November 2020 to April 2024, Nako conspired with other individuals to sell counterfeit luxury watches to customers across the United States. He illegally imported the counterfeit watches from China or obtained them from a co-conspirator in New York, and then advertised and sold the watches on the internet and through social media accounts he operated on Facebook and Instagram. During the investigation, law enforcement officers made multiple undercover transactions in which they purchased counterfeit Rolex watches from one of Nako’s Instagram accounts for approximately $100 to $300 per watch. Between February and July 2021, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized approximately 16 parcels containing a total of 138 counterfeit Rolex watches and five counterfeit Audemars watches that were addressed to Nako’s residence. Between April and June 2022, CBP seized three parcels, containing a total of 11 counterfeit Rolex watches and one counterfeit Movado watch, which were addressed to an office that Nako had rented in Holden, Massachusetts. The seized counterfeit watches had a total estimated manufacturers’ suggested retail price of approximately $3 million had the watches been authentic. Judge Oliver ordered Nako to forfeit $271,585 in proceeds of his crime. Nako was arrested on April 3, 2024. On that date, a court-authorized search of Nako’s residence revealed more than 60 counterfeit luxury watches, as well as counterfeit watch boxes and shopping bags. On August 21, 2024, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods. Nako was employed as a police officer with the Framingham State University Police Department in Framingham, Massachusetts, at this time of his arrest. Released on $50,000 bond, Nako is required to report to prison on February 13. This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division; and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has assisted the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Neeraj N. Patel and Shan Patel.


title: Pittsburg County Resident Sentenced For Federal Drug Crime

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that William Drew Sullivan, age 34, of McAlester, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 100 months in prison for one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl. The charge arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Krebs Police Department. On July 15, 2024, Sullivan pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on January 3, 2024, officers conducting a routine traffic stop discovered Sullivan in possession of two cell phones, a scale, and two baggies containing fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Sullivan will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Howanitz represented the United States.


title: McAlester Resident Sentenced For Illegal Possession Of Ammunition

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Arlo Christopher Jordan, age 26, of McAlester, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 27 months in prison for illegal possession of ammunition. The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office. On July 16, 2024, Jordan pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of Ammunition. According to investigators, on January 11, 2024, officers discovered Jordan in possession of 270 Winchester ammunition. Jordan possessed the ammunition despite knowing that he had been previously convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year. 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 Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Jordan will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Robinson represented the United States.


title: Drug Dealer with History of Violence Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of Firearm

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A drug dealer with a history of violence who fled a traffic stop was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison. Antonio Rockwood, age 26, from Sioux City, received the prison term after an August 13, 2024, guilty plea to Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, Drug User, and a Misdemeanant Domestic Abuser. Evidence in the case revealed in September of 2023, officers with the Sioux City Police Department attempted a traffic stop on a Silver Chrysler 300, for dark window tint, that was known to be driven by Rockwood. The vehicle fled officers. Officers went to a nearby address Rockwood was known to frequent. The vehicle was found abandoned and high-centered, where it had collided with two parked vehicles. A neighbor advised officers Rockwood was the driver and had fled into a nearby residence. While officers were clearing the vehicle, they observed a handgun stuck between the driver’s seat and center console. Officers also located a backpack containing a crystalline substance that tested positive for methamphetamine weighing 153 grams. Officers obtained a search warrant for the residence and found Rockwood hiding in a crawl space in the attic. Rockwood has previous felony convictions for theft and controlled substance violations, as well as a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, all in Woodbury County, Iowa. Rockwood was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 120 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. Rockwood is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was investigated by Sioux City, Iowa Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-4082. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Pittsburg County Resident Sentenced For Federal Firearm Crime

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Robert Charles Marshall, age 64, of Eufaula, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 37 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition. The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office. On August 12, 2024, Marshall pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. According to investigators, on November 15, 2023, Marshall knowingly possessed one Ruger .45ACP caliber semi-automatic pistol, one Ruger .308 Winchester/7.62x51mm caliber semi-automatic rifle, one Browning .270 Weatherby Magnum caliber semi-automatic rifle, along with six rounds of .45ACP caliber ammunition, two rounds of Aguila branded ammunition, four rounds of Winchester branded ammunition, and thirteen rounds of Remington branded .308 Winchester caliber ammunition. Marshall possessed the firearm and ammunition despite knowing that he had been previously convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year. 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 Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Marshall will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Bove represented the United States.


title: Matthew W. Cheney Appointed as Acting U.S. Trustee for Maryland, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia

component: U.S. Trustee Program

body_text: Matthew W. Cheney has been appointed by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland as the Acting U.S. Trustee for Maryland, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia (Region 4) effective Jan. 11. Cheney replaces Gerard R. Vetter, who continues to serve as the Assistant U.S. Trustee for the Baltimore office of the U.S. Trustee Program (USTP). Cheney joined the USTP in 2015 as the Assistant U.S. Trustee for the office in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and will remain in that role while overseeing Region 4. He is co-chair of the USTP’s Quarterly Fees Working Group, which develops guidance for the USTP’s collection of quarterly fees in chapter 11 bankruptcy cases and provides support for litigation involving chapter 11 fee issues. He also serves the Program as a member of the Data Integrity Group, which monitors the accuracy and integrity of the USTP’s information collection systems. Previously, as an attorney in private practice in Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, Cheney represented clients including a private chapter 7 trustee and creditors in complex bankruptcy cases and other litigation. Cheney received a bachelor’s degree in social science from Michigan State University and a law degree from Ohio Northern University, where he was managing editor of the law review. After law school, Cheney clerked for Judges E. Stephen Derby and James F. Schneider of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland. The Executive Office for U.S. Trustees made the announcement. The USTP’s mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders – debtors, creditors and the public. The USTP consists of 21 regions with 89 field offices nationwide and an Executive Office in Washington, D.C. Learn more about the USTP at www.justice.gov/ust .


title: United States Attorney Kate E. Brubacher announces resignation

component: USAO - Kansas

body_text: KANSAS CITY, KAN. – United States Attorney for the District of Kansas Kate E. Brubacher announced that she has submitted her resignation to President Joe Biden effective January 19, 2025. Brubacher was sworn in as the 42nd presidentially appointed U.S. Attorney (USA) for the District of Kansas on March 10, 2023. She was nominated by President Biden and confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the first woman to serve as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the District. “Serving the People in my home state as United States Attorney for the District of Kansas has been a high honor,” said Brubacher. “I am grateful to President Biden for nominating me. I am also grateful to Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall for their support for the U.S. Attorney’s Office and prioritizing the rule of law in Kansas.” The District of Kansas employs Assistant U.S. Attorneys and support staff who work in three offices associated with the federal courts which are in Kansas City, Kan., Topeka, and Wichita. The jurisdiction covers all 105 counties of Kansas, with a population of approximately 2.9 million. “I leave this position with overwhelming respect for the career attorneys, professional staff, and the dedicated law enforcement officers who work diligently and in good faith every day to protect the public and uphold our Constitution,” Brubacher said. “Together, we focused on confronting the fentanyl epidemic and keeping Kansans safe from violent crime, including crimes against children, and we paid just amounts when there were just claims against the United States. The people and partnerships in Kansas are unsurpassed, and I look forward to seeing the continued success of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the years ahead.” The District of Kansas’ mission is to protect citizens from terrorism, enforce federal laws, and advance the interests of the U.S. government. Some accomplishments under Brubacher’s tenure include disrupting international drug trafficking cartels, bringing child pornography offenders to justice, and prosecuting white collar criminal acts. Here are some of the noteworthy cases. FINANCIAL FRAUD • A Kansas man was sentenced to 293 months in prison for using his former position as chief executive officer (CEO) of a bank to embezzle tens of millions of dollars in a cryptocurrency scheme which led the bank to fail at a complete loss of equity for investors. • A federal grand jury in Kansas indicted seven defendants , including five current and former high-level officers of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmith, Forgers and Helpers (Boilermakers Union) for their alleged roles in a 15-year, $20 million embezzlement scheme. CIVIL RIGHTS • A Kansas jury convicted six members of a religious cult on charges related to compelling forced the labor on victims including multiple minors as young as eight years old. • A Kansas man was sentenced to 80 months in prison for threatening multiple Black people in and around the Wichita area, and for interfering with the housing rights of a white woman because he believed that she was dating and associating with Black people. NATIONAL SECURITY • A grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas, indicted a North Korean nationa l for his involvement in a conspiracy to hack and extort U.S. hospitals and other health care providers, launder the ransom proceeds, and then use these proceeds to fund additional computer intrusions into defense, technology, and government entities worldwide. The ransomware attacks prevented victim health care providers from providing full and timely care to patients. • Two U.S. businessmen pleaded guilty to conspiring to circumvent U.S. export laws prohibiting the sale, repair and shipment of U.S.-origin avionics equipment to customers in Russia and in other countries that operate Russian-built aircraft, including the Federal Security Service of Russia (FSB). FENTANYL & OTHER NARCOTICS TRAFFICKING • A Kansas man was sentenced to 25 years in prison for giving a man a fentanyl pill which caused his death. • Indictments charging hundreds of individuals in alleged drug trafficking rings. o https://www.justice.gov/usao-ks/pr/eight-defendants-indicted-drug-trafficking-ring o https://www.justice.gov/usao-ks/pr/man-sentenced-kansas-city-drug-ring-tied-mexican-cartel o https://www.justice.gov/usao-ks/pr/multiple-people-indicted-meth-trafficking Kate E. Brubacher Brubacher is a native of Newton, Kansas. She previously served as an assistant prosecuting attorney in the Jackson County, Missouri Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Prior to her government service, She was an associate at Cooley LLP and Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, both in New York, New York. Brubacher received her bachelor’s degree from Stanford University and her law degree from Yale Law School. She also holds a Master of Arts in Religion from Yale Divinity School. ###


title: Low-Income Housing Employee Sentenced For Stealing Rent Money

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – A Mobile woman was sentenced today to 14 months in federal prison for stealing rent money for government-assisted low-income housing. According to court documents, Shannon Caruso, age 48, of Mobile, was employed as a property manager by two different government housing authorities that providing affordable housing to low-income individuals in the Mobile area. Caruso admitted that while working for both housing authorities, she fraudulently convinced renters that they needed to make rent checks out to her or to give her their rent checks with the payee line blank. Rather than depositing this rent money with her employer, Caruso stole the money for her own use. The two housing authorities absorbed the losses due to Caruso’s theft and did not evict any of the renters who reasonably believed they were properly paying rent by giving their checks to Caruso. U.S. District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer expounded on how utterly selfish Caruso’s crimes were and how they likely affected innocent people who were already living in a difficult financial situation. Accordingly, Judge Moorer sentenced Caruso to 14 months in federal prison, which was the high end of her advisory sentencing guidelines range. “Shannon Caruso admitted to using her position as a property manager to exploit the vulnerability of elderly and low-income individuals by stealing their monthly Housing Choice Voucher rent payments and depositing them into her personal bank account,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Jerome Winkle with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General. “HUD OIG will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to diligently pursue and hold accountable individuals who prey on vulnerable members of our community.” “Stealing the rent money of vulnerable victims was a particularly egregious way for this crook to earn her sentence in federal prison,” said Sean P. Costello, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama. “Together with our law enforcement partners, we will hold to account anyone who takes advantage of the citizens of south Alabama.” The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, Birmingham Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tandice Blackwood prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.


title: Mount Vernon Police Sergeant Pleads Guilty To Depriving An Individual Of His Constitutional Rights

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Edward Y. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that MARIO STEWART, a Sergeant with the Mount Vernon Police Department (“MVPD”), pled guilty today to using excessive force against an individual (the “Victim”) while in Mount Vernon, New York, in violation of the Victim’s rights under the U.S. Constitution. STEWART pled guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew E. Krause. Acting U.S. Attorney Edward Y. Kim said: “Mario Stewart betrayed his duty as a Sergeant with the Mount Vernon Police Department. Stewart was called to the scene to aid a person in emotional distress. But instead of rendering aid, he deployed his taser on the individual seven times in the span of roughly two minutes, while the individual was helpless, and while several other MVPD officers were on scene to assist. This Office will fiercely protect constitutional rights and hold accountable those who abuse their authority to violate those rights.” According to the allegations contained in the Indictment and statements made in court: On or about March 26, 2019, STEWART was employed as a Sergeant with the Mount Vernon Police Department. STEWART was assigned to the MVPD’s Emergency Services Unit, which is responsible for, among other things, responding to individuals who are experiencing mental health crises. On that day, STEWART and six other MVPD officers received a call to assist the Victim in Mount Vernon, New York, as the Victim was experiencing a mental health crisis. At the scene, STEWART and the other MVPD officers restrained the Victim, handcuffing his hands behind his back and securing his legs in a restraint bag in preparation to transport the Victim for medical assistance. When the MVPD officers were unable to pull the restraint bag over the Victim’s chest because the Victim was holding onto one of the bag’s straps, STEWART directed the Victim to release the strap. While STEWART deployed his taser all seven times, the Victim remained laying on the ground, handcuffed with his hands behind his back and his legs secured in the restraint bag. STEWART’s actions caused bodily injury to the Victim, including extreme pain. * * * STEWART, 46, of Brooklyn, New York, pled guilty to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law, which 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 defendant will be determined by the judge. Mr. Kim praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and thanked the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office and the Mount Vernon Police Department for their assistance with the investigation. The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Unit in the Criminal Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sam Adelsberg and Jared Hoffman are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Federal Jury Finds Windsor Locks Man Guilty of Robbery Offenses

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal jury in New Haven has found GEOFFREY SHAPIRO, 44, of Windsor Locks, guilty of committing two robberies in February 2020. The trial before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden began on January 8 and the jury returned its verdicts this morning. According to the evidence presented during the trial, on February 9, 2020, at approximately 5:20 p.m., Shapiro entered the Dunkin’ Donuts, located at 142 Hopmeadow Street in Simsbury, placed an order, and then displayed a small handgun and pointed it at the employee at the register. Shapiro stated “Give me the money” two times. The employee gave Shapiro approximately $390. Shapiro said “thank you” and exited the store. On February 21, 2020, Shapiro entered the Webster Bank located at 141 Hebron Avenue in Glastonbury. When he reached the teller counter, Shapiro handed the teller a note that stated in part “Stay calm” and “I have a gun.” The teller then gave Shapiro $1,837 from her drawer. Shapiro took back the note and exited the bank. Glastonbury Police arrested Shapiro later that day at his residence. On February 22, 2020, a court-authorized search of Shapiro’s vehicle revealed a handgun, the demand note Shapiro used during the bank robbery, clothes worn by Shapiro during the robberies, and other evidence. Shapiro was found guilty of one count of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act robbery), which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and one count of armed bank robbery, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 25 years. Shapiro is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing, which is not scheduled. This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Glastonbury, Simsbury, and Westfield (Mass.) Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brendan J. Keefe and Natasha M. Freismuth.


title: PAC Treasurer Pleads Guilty To Multi-Year Scheme To Defraud PAC Donors

body_text: Edward Y. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ROBERT PIARO, the treasurer of multiple political action committees (“PACs”), pled guilty today to committing telemarketing wire fraud in connection with his scheme to defraud donors to his PACs through false and misleading statements. PIARO pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian. Acting U.S. Attorney Edward Y. Kim said: “Robert Piaro deceived hundreds of thousands of donors through false statements and misrepresentations about how contributions to his PACs would be spent. Piaro’s fraudulent actions not only undermined the trust of donors but also exploited their interest in supporting certain causes for his own personal gain. Today’s plea highlights this Office’s dedication to holding accountable those who misuse political organizations to defraud and mislead the public.” According to the allegations in the Indictment, court filings, and statements made in Court: PACs are entities registered with the Federal Election Commission that may be tax-exempt and collect money to advocate on behalf of or against certain causes and political candidates. From at least in or about 2017 up to and including at least in or about December 2022, PIARO was the treasurer and operator of four PACs: Americans for the Cure of Breast Cancer, the Association for Emergency Responders & Firefighters, the US Veterans Assistance Foundation, and Standing By Veterans (the “PIARO PACs”). PIARO raised millions of dollars from hundreds of thousands of donors nationwide through false statements and misrepresentations about how contributions to the PIARO PACs would be spent. For example, at PIARO’s direction, the PIARO PACs misrepresented to donors that donations would be used to advance specific legislation, educate lawmakers, and conduct and fund research, when PIARO did not and did not intend to follow through on those representations. If you believe you are a victim of fraud perpetrated by PIARO, please contact USANYS.PACFraud@usdoj.gov or the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) at 1-800-CALL-FBI or tips.fbi.gov , and find more information here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/united-states-v-robert-piaro . * * * PIARO, 74, of Fredonia, Wisconsin, pled guilty to one count of wire fraud in connection with telemarketing, which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. PIARO is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Subramanian on April 14, 2025. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI. This case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rebecca T. Dell and Jane Kim are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Five Defendants Plead Guilty for Bid Rigging Conspiracies on Commercial Roofing Projects in Central Florida

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: As part of an ongoing investigation, four individuals and one company have pleaded guilty for their roles in bid-rigging conspiracies throughout central Florida. Glenn Bailey and Douglas Sutter each pleaded guilty in the Middle District of Florida to participating in a conspiracy to suppress and eliminate competition by rigging bids on commercial roofing projects in violation of the Sherman Act on Jan. 8 and 9, respectively. Kenneth Cody and Christopher Rakos also pleaded guilty to the same crime on Oct. 3 and Dec. 6, 2024, respectively. Service Works of Fort Lauderdale LLC, also pleaded guilty to the same crime on Oct. 3, 2024, and was sentenced on Jan. 6. According to the plea agreements, each of the defendants knowingly entered into a conspiracy to restrain trade by rigging bids for commercial roofing services in the Middle District of Florida. The commercial roofing services included the installation and repair of flat and sloped roofs on commercial and other facilities. The rigged bids impacted a variety of projects, including roofing services for schools, religious buildings, condominiums and retail stores. “Safe, affordable roofing is critical to Florida communities that are prone to hurricanes and other harsh weather conditions,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Doha Mekki of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The guilty pleas secured today further demonstrate our commitment to protecting the competitive bidding process that is essential to constructing and maintaining America’s infrastructure.” "Today's guilty plea reflects the FBI's unwavering commitment to holding those accountable who undermine fair competition through bid-rigging conspiracies," said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. "The actions of these individuals manipulated competitive processes, harmed taxpayers and the integrity of the marketplace. The FBI will continue to protect businesses and consumers from those who try to abuse the system for their own personal gain." “These individuals thought they could game the system and would not get caught. They were wrong,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge John Carlo of the Department of Education Office of Inspector General (OIG)’s Eastern Regional Office. “The OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue those who misappropriate education funds for their own selfish purposes. America’s taxpayers and students deserve nothing less.” The FBI and Department of Education OIG are investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Daniel A. Loveland Jr., Ronald P. Fiorillo II., Vijay N. Rao and Sumaiya F. Ismail of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division are prosecuting the case. Anyone with information on bid rigging, price fixing, market allocation or other anticompetitive conduct in the roofing should contact the Antitrust Division’s Complaint Center at 888-647-3258 or visit www.justice.gov/atr/report-violations .


title: Fall River Man Charged with Shipping Cocaine Through the Mail

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Fall River man has been charged in federal court in Boston with a drug trafficking offense arising from his shipment of cocaine through the U.S. mail from California to Massachusetts. Justin Dupras, 42, was charged by criminal complaint on one count of attempting to possess cocaine with the intent to distribute. Dupras will appear in U.S. District Court in Boston at a later date. According to the charging document, Dupras mailed a package containing approximately two kilograms of cocaine from a Post Office in Los Angeles, Calif. to Fall River, Mass. on Dec. 17, 2024. Dupras then returned to Massachusetts and, on Dec. 19, 2024, drove to the Fall River Post Office. Another individual signed for the package containing cocaine and handed it to Dupras. The charging document also alleges that Dupras mailed packages containing cocaine from California to Massachusetts on multiple prior occasions. For example, on Sept. 17, 2024, Dupras mailed a box containing more than two kilograms of cocaine from Chino Hills, Calif. to Fall River, Mass.. On Oct. 29, 2024, Dupras mailed a box containing approximately two kilograms of cocaine from Los Angeles, Calif. to Fall River, Mass. Flight records show Dupras returning to Massachusetts on the same day that he mailed the two packages. The charge of attempting to possess cocaine with the intent to distribute provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a term of supervised release of up to life and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division made the announcement. The Fall River Police Department provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Abely is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking Conspiracy and Firearm Offense

body_text: BOSTON – A Florida man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to a sex trafficking conspiracy and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Angelo Dominic Lombardo, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, threats of force, fraud, and coercion, and one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Chief U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for April 8, 2025. In May 2022, Lombardo was indicted by a federal grand jury. “Mr. Lombardo deceived his victims with promises of a better life, and then he delivered the exact opposite. He forced them into a life of sexual servitude, all for his own personal gain,” said United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Human trafficking is a deplorable crime and this office will continue to hold individuals like Mr. Lombardo accountable for their deplorable conduct.” “What Angelo Lombardo admitted to doing today is horrific—using force, fraud, and coercion to traffic vulnerable women for his own financial benefit, even going as far as threatening one at gunpoint,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Mr. Lombardo came to Boston because he thought it would be easy to stay off law enforcement’s radar, but he was clearly wrong. We want victims to know that we will work very hard to make sure they receive the services they need and deserve, and our Child Exploitation – Human Trafficking Task Force will do everything it can to ensure that anyone who profits from the detestable exploitation of human beings will be brought to justice for perpetrating these egregious crimes.” From in and around June 2020 to July 12, 2021, Lombardo conspired with others to traffic four victims to engage in commercial sex acts by physically assaulting the victims, coercing the victims psychologically, making false promises of a better life and making explicit threats to one of the victims with a firearm, among other things. In June 2020, Lombardo recruited a victim in Florida to work for him engaging in commercial sex in various states, including Massachusetts, where she engaged in commercial sex at Lombardo’s direction. Lombardo promised the victim a better life, however the money that she was paid engaging in commercial sex was turned over to Lombardo. On multiple occasions, Lombardo was violent with the victim who reported that she did not feel able to leave him because she would leave with nothing. Another victim recruited by Lombardo in or around October 2020 in Florida, travelled with Lombardo to other states, including Massachusetts, to engage in commercial sex. Lombardo threatened the victim that if she did not do what she was told, she would not see her family again. On one occasion when the victim did not want to participate in any more commercial sex dates, Lombardo confiscated her license and punched her repeatedly. Around May 2021, Lombardo met a homeless victim in Portland, Ore., provided her with a place to stay and then advertised her on commercial sex websites. Lombardo would set up dates and drive the victim who travelled to Boston, Mass. on two occasions to engage in commercial sex. In addition to taking the money, he verbally abused the victim and on one occasion put a gun to the victim’s head and told her to go and make more money. Finally, another victim was recruited to work for Lombardo in June 2021, in Portland, Ore., shortly after she turned 18 years old. Lombardo promised the victim financial stability and a better life if she worked for him. In reality, Lombardo kept the money that the victim was paid, for himself. The victim reported that Lombardo was verbally abusive toward her. Ultimately, one of the victims went to the police and reported that Lombardo was trafficking her in July 2021. On July 12, 2021, following a traffic stop in Boston, Lombardo was arrested on state trafficking charges. At the time of his arrest, Lombardo had approximately $3,310 in his possession. A subsequent search of a hotel room in Revere associated with Lombardo resulted in the recovery of a firearm with a laser attached matching the descriptions provided by two of the his victims, and a loaded large capacity magazine with 20 live rounds of ammunition. Due to at least one prior felony conviction, Lombardo is prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition. Members of the public who believe they may be a victim of this individual or alleged crime should contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov . If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please visit https://polarisproject.org/ for information and resources. The charge of sex trafficking conspiracy provides for up to life in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; FBI SAC Cohen and BPD Commissioner Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office; and the Revere and Arlington Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Mackenzie Duane of the Criminal Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Riley-Cunniffe, Chief of the Human Trafficking and Civil Rights Unit are prosecuting the case.


title: New Orleans Man Guilty of Violating Federal Gun Control and Federal Controlled Substances Acts

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – MARCUS THEODORE (“THEODORE”) , age 33, a resident of New Orleans, pled guilty on January 10, 2025, before United States District Judge Darrel James Papillion, to violating the Federal Gun Control Act and the Federal Controlled Substances Act, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to court records, law enforcement learned that THEODORE was distributing narcotics around the former Calliope Projects. The FBI developed confidential sources who then made a series of controlled purchases of heroin/fentanyl from THEODORE and his drug trafficking associates starting in mid-2022 and continuing through early 2023. As a result, the FBI initiated Title III intercepts of two of THEODORE’s phones in February 2023. During the wires, the FBI confirmed that THEODORE had been distributing anywhere from small user amounts to several ounces of narcotics daily, and sometimes larger quantities, for several months. In conjunction with the wires coming down in March 2023, the FBI obtained several federal search warrants related to THEODORE . On March 15, 2023, FBI agents stopped THEODORE as he was driving. In THEODORE’s waistband, agents discovered a Glock Model 19, nine-millimeter semi-automatic handgun, bearing serial number BKZX752, with a round in the chamber. In THEODORE’s coat pocket, agents recovered approximately 50.4 grams of a substance, packaged in clear plastic baggies, suspected to be a heroin/fentanyl mixture. During the execution of a search warrants, agents located approximately 165.8 grams of fentanyl, as well as the accoutrement of drug processing. THEODORE was previously convicted in state court of attempted possession with the intent to distribute heroin, manslaughter and attempted manslaughter, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and, as such, was prohibited from possessing a firearm. THEODORE was charged federally with conspiring to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, possession with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Because his prior manslaughter conviction counts as a serious violent felony, THEODORE was also charged with a recidivist enhancement that increased the potential penalty for the drug crimes. On January 10, 2025, THEODORE pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He also conceded that the recidivist enhancement based on his prior manslaughter conviction applied. Judge Papillion set sentencing for April 22, 2025. The maximum penalties THEODORE facesare as follows. For possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, imprisonment of at least ten years up to life in prison, up to a $8,000,000 fine, and at least eight years of supervised release. For possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, a term of he faces imprisonment of at least five years up to life in prison that must run consecutively to any other term of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release. For being a felon in possession of a firearm, a term of he faces imprisonment of up to fifteen years, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. In total, THEODORE faces a mandatory minimum of at least 15 years up to a maximum of life imprisonment. As to each count to which THEODORE pled guilty, he also faces payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Haller, Senior Litigation Counsel and PSN Coordinator.


title: Hudson County Convicted Felon Indicted For Possessing A Firearm And An Extended Magazine

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Hudson County man has been indicted for a firearms offense, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced. Richard Sharp, 25, of Bayonne, New Jersey and known on social media as “Famous Richard,” is charged with one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. He was arrested earlier today and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa in Newark federal court and was detained. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: On July 4, 2024, law enforcement responded to reports of an incident at a gas station in Bayonne, New Jersey. The investigation revealed that during an altercation at the gas station, Sharp had brandished a firearm with an extended magazine and threatened to shoot other people who were at the gas station. Several days later, Sharp posted a video on social media showing him dancing while holding a firearm equipped with an extended magazine. Subsequently, on July 12, 2024, following a judicially authorized search of Sharp’s residence and vehicle, law enforcement recovering a loaded Beretta M9 semi-automatic handgun with a defaced serial number and an extended magazine that contained approximately 24 rounds of ammunition. The count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition is punishable by a maximum of 15 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Newark Field Division under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian J. Driscoll, with the investigation. He also thanked the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Esther Suarez and the Bayonne Police Department under the direction of Police Chief Robert Geisler. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Nadel of the Narcotics/OCDETF Unit in Newark. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ### Defense counsel: Areeb Salim, Esq. sharp.indictment.pdf


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced to Drug and Firearm Charges

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DARRION YOUNG , age 40, of New Orleans, Louisiana was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brandon S. Long to 207 months incarceration for pleading guilty to Counts 1 through Count 6 of the Indictment. Judge Long ordered that YOUNG shall be on supervised release for a term of four (4) years following his release from imprisonment. BANKS was also ordered to pay a $600 mandatory special assessment fee. Count One charged YOUNG with carjacking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2119(1). Count Two charged YOUNG with brandishing, using, and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(ii). Count Three charged YOUNG with distribution of a controlled substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). Count Four charged YOUNG with possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C). Count Five charged YOUNG with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i). Count Six charged YOUNG with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). According to court documents, On January 13, 2022, at approximately 9:40 PM, NOPD responded to a corner store near 1527 Saint Phillip Street for a reported carjacking. There, NOPD spoke with the victim, who stated that YOUNG had forcefully put a gun to her and took her vehicle, a Ford Fusion. YOUNG intended to cause death or seriously bodily harm when he took the vehicle. The vehicle was not manufactured in the state of Louisiana and thus had been transported in interstate commerce prior to the carjacking. January 14, 2022, YOUNG was observed parked in the 1800 block of Touro in a Ford Fusion. Agents captured a still photo of the vehicle from the pole camera and showed it to the carjacking victim, who positively identified it as the vehicle YOUNG carjacked. FBI agents proceeded to the 1800 block of Touro Street and set up physical surveillance on the vehicle. Soon after, agents observed YOUNG get into the vehicle and drive away. Agents followed the vehicle to Stephen Girard Street and Montegut Drive, where they conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle. There were two males inside the car, YOUNG was the driver. The vehicle was searched and these items were found One black Smith & Wesson SD40VE model, .40 caliber handgun, bearing serial number FWX8936 (driver’s seat), 2.5 grams of cocaine (in bag near center console), 6.7 grams of fentanyl (in bag near center console), and 71 MDMA pills (in bag near center console). 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 track 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the New Orleans Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Maurice Landrieu of the Narcotics Unit and Mike Trummel of the Violent Crimes Unit.


title: Suffolk man sentenced to 10 years in prison for federal drug trafficking and firearms conviction

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – A Suffolk man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on Sept. 15, 2023, law enforcement intercepted a package containing two pounds of crystal meth that had been shipped from Murrieta, California, to Norfolk through the U.S. Postal Service. Investigators removed all but 33 grams of the meth, repackaged the parcel, and conducted a controlled delivery to the intended address. After the package was delivered, Dobeir Quam Rudolph, 35, arrived at the address and retrieved the package. An arrest team attempted to detain Rudolph, but he resisted and attempted to flee in his vehicle. Officers observed Rudolph reaching for something and attempting to destroy his cellphone. Rudolph was eventually placed into custody. During a search of the vehicle, investigators recovered a handgun where Rudolph had been reaching. Rudolph has two prior felony convictions. As a previously convicted felon, Rudolph cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the DEA’s Washington Division; Jason S. Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; and Mark Talbot, Chief of Norfolk Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin M. Comstock and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc W. West, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-23.


title: Federal Firearms Licensee Sentenced to Prison for Firearm Trafficking and Straw Purchasing Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – A Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for conspiring to illegally traffic and straw purchase firearms. Cory Daigle, 30, of Revere, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to two years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. In August 2024, Daigle pleaded guilty to one count of trafficking in firearms; one count of illegal possession of a machine gun; one count of receipt or possession of unregistered firearm; one count of conspiracy to make false statements in records required to be kept by an FFL; and one count of aiding and abetting making false statements in records required to be kept by an FFL. Daigle was charged by criminal complaint in January 2023 along with Gustavo Rodriguez and Shakim Grant. He was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2023. “Mr. Daigle utilized his status as a licensed firearms dealer to recklessly amass an alarming number of firearms. He knowingly sold multiple firearms to a person he knew was not eligible to own them he – and then aided in concealing such criminal conduct in the immediate after one of those firearms was then used in the shooting,” said United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “This sentence and moreover, this case entirely, should be a warning to other licensed federal firearms dealers in Massachusetts, particularly in the Littleton Mill, that by selling illegal deadly weapons, you’re not only gambling with public safety – you’re gambling with your freedom.” “The illegal sale and transfer of firearms threaten the safety of our communities,” said James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives, Boston Field Division. “Today’s sentencing demonstrates that those who exploit firearms laws for personal gain will be held accountable. ATF will continue to work tirelessly to disrupt these dangerous networks and uphold the integrity of lawful gun ownership.’” Daigle was a licensed firearms dealer doing business as Steelworks Defense Solutions in Littleton. In late 2022, Rodriguez – a previously convicted felon prohibited from possessing firearms – asked Grant if he would purchase a number of firearms for him. Rodriguez proposed to make the purchases through Daigle, whom Rodriguez knew to be an FLL and with whom Rodriguez had an existing relationship. Grant knew that Rodriguez – a known Wood Avenue gang associated – was prohibited from possessing firearms, but agreed to purchase the firearms nonetheless. At some point prior to Oct. 27, 2022, Rodriguez and Daigle agreed upon the firearms that would be purchased and Rodriguez paid Daigle for the firearms. To complete the purchase and obtain the firearms, Rodriguez later accompanied firearms-licensee Grant to Steelworks Defense Solutions. There, Daigle presented Grant with three firearms intended for Rodriguez, which Rodriguez had previously selected and paid for: a Glock 23, .40 caliber pistol; a Glock 29, 10mm pistol; and a Glock 19X, 9mm pistol. Daigle then provided Grant with paperwork required to be maintained by an FFL, documenting the sale of the three firearms. This included a required Firearms Transaction Record to be completed by the buyer, in which Grant falsely claimed that he was the actual buyer of the firearms. Daigle signed the form, knowingly endorsing the false claim. Less than two weeks later, on Nov. 6, 2022, one of the firearms that Daigle had sold to Rodriguez was used in shooting outside of Rodriguez’s apartment. During a search of Rodriguez’s apartment, a Glock 23 pistol and the Glock 29 pistol were discovered, but only the manufacturer’s box for a Glock 19X pistol – which was later identified as the firearm used in the Hyde Park shooting. That same firearm was subsequently recovered from a juvenile in New Bedford. During a search of Daigle’s residence in January 2023, multiple firearms were found in numerous safes, on furniture, in bedrooms, in drawers and in open areas throughout the home. An incendiary device was also located. During the search, Daigle attempted to coverup the illegal straw purchase by providing false information to law enforcement. He also stated that if anyone came to take his guns away, he would fight the government until he died. The firearms were immediately seized. Additionally, at the time of his arrest, Daigle was carrying four tactical/military style knives on his person. Grant and Rodriguez each pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy. On Oct. 18, 2024 , Grant was sentenced to three years of probation. Rodriguez is scheduled to be sentenced in February 2025. U.S. Attorney Levy, ATF SAC Ferguson and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Revere Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Four Chicago Residents Charged in Federal Court as Part of Drug Trafficking Investigation

component: Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces

body_text: CHICAGO — A drug trafficking investigation centered on the Northwest Side of Chicago has resulted in federal narcotics and firearm charges against four individuals. The investigation, led by Homeland Security Investigations and the Chicago Police Department, utilized covert surveillance operations, undercover narcotics purchases, and wiretapped communications to shut down an open-air drug market in Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood. As part of the investigation, law enforcement on Wednesday executed a court-authorized search of a residence in Chicago and discovered multi-kilogram quantities of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine packaged for distribution. Charged with federal drug offenses are JAUAN BROWN, 38, BRIUANNA MOORE, 26, and EYANNA ROSS, 21, all of Chicago. Charged with illegal firearm possession are Brown and WILLIAM DAVIS, 38, of Chicago. The four defendants made their initial appearances on Wednesday in federal court in Chicago. In addition to the federal charges, 20 individuals were charged in state court as a result of this investigation. The federal charges were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Sean Fitzgerald, Special Agent-in-Charge of HSI in Chicago, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of CPD. Valuable assistance was provided by the IRS Criminal Investigation Chicago Field Office and the Chicago High Intensity Drug Trafficking Task Force ( HIDTA ). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian F. Williamson and Kate McClelland represent the government in the federal cases. The case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug trafficking organizations and other criminal networks that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local enforcement agencies. The public is reminded that a complaint contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. ross_complaint.pdf moore_complaint.pdf davis_et_al_complaint.pdf brown_complaint_2.pdf brown_complaint.pdf


title: U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs Announces Departure

component: USAO - Texas, Eastern

body_text: PLANO, Texas – United States Attorney Damien M. Diggs has announced that he will resign as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Eastern District of Texas effective 11:59 p.m. on January 21, 2025. U.S. Attorney Diggs was nominated by President Joseph R. Biden on February 2, 2023, and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate on May 4, 2023. Mr. Diggs was sworn in as U.S. Attorney on May 7, 2023. “I will forever be grateful to President Biden, Attorney General Garland, and Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz for having confidence in me to serve our nation and the citizens of the Eastern District of Texas,” said U.S. Attorney Diggs. “This office and our committed local, state, and federal law enforcement partners go above and beyond daily to keep our communities safe, uphold the rule of law, and protect the civil rights of the citizenry. I count it a blessing to have assisted in these efforts.” In a message to his office and law enforcement partners, U. S. Attorney Diggs said: It has been an honor and a privilege leading this District for the past two years. I can proudly say that the Eastern District, the state of Texas, and the United States are safer because of the great work being done here. During my tenure as United States Attorney, the work of this Office has reached five continents in the pursuit of justice and has remained a leader in the fight against international criminal organizations, while simultaneously remaining an active and engaged partner in our communities in north- and southeastern Texas. U.S. Attorney Diggs led an office of nearly 100 employees, including 50 prosecutors, across six fully staffed offices in Beaumont, Lufkin, Plano, Sherman, Texarkana, and Tyler. The district covers 43 counties stretching from the Gulf of Mexico to the Oklahoma border, covering 29,000 square miles, and is home to roughly 4.5 million people. He focused the office’s efforts on public safety, fighting fraud, waste and abuse, civil rights, and community outreach. Under U.S. Attorney Diggs’ leadership, the office achieved noteworthy successes in criminal matters, obtaining notable victories in crimes related to gun and gang violence, firearms trafficking, drug trafficking , public corruption , healthcare fraud , white collar, cybercrime , national security issues , child exploitation , and human trafficking issues. U.S. Attorney Diggs also expanded the office’s Project Safe Neighborhoods program by creating separate PSN programs in Beaumont, Longview, and Plano; established Operation Purple Ribbon —a domestic violence initiative targeting domestic violence abusers for federal prosecution; surged investigations and prosecutions of commercial robberies; stood up a carjacking task force in the spring of 2024, which has resulted in a significant decrease in carjackings district-wide; and partnered with the other Texas U.S. Attorneys and the ATF in the summer of 2024 in launching Operation Texas Kill Switch —a statewide initiative targeting illegal machinegun conversion devices, commonly referred to as “switches.” The initiative has raised public awareness and resulted in multiple prosecutions . U.S. Attorney Diggs continued the district’s prioritization of prosecuting large-scale drug trafficking organizations, primarily through DOJ’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program. With an emphasis on the targeting of international drug cartels, U.S. Attorney Diggs oversaw one of the nation’s most productive extradition practices, particularly with respect to Colombia and Guatemala. U.S. Attorney Diggs’ team obtained a 25-year sentence against a Colombian trafficker who coordinated maritime shipments of cocaine through Central America; extradited the leader of the Los Pochos drug trafficking organization which supplies multi-ton quantities of cocaine to trafficking cells in Guatemala and Mexico; and successfully prosecuted a former senior Republic of Guatemala official whose assistance on behalf of an international drug trafficker resulted in the safe passage of at least 450 kilograms of cocaine through Guatemala for distribution in the United States. The office’s Civil Division experienced record successes under U.S. Attorney Diggs’ leadership. For instance, the Civil Division negotiated a $97 million settlement with Walgreens to resolve allegations that it billed government payors for prescriptions that were never dispensed. U.S. Attorney Diggs also oversaw a $21.75 million settlement with Medisca, Inc. to resolve allegations that the company submitted false and inflated average wholesale prices for ingredients used in compounded prescriptions. U.S. Attorney Diggs also demonstrated a commitment to holding individuals, not just corporations, responsible for defrauding the government. After obtaining a settlement with the bankrupt fintech company Kabbage, Inc. to receive a total unsubordinated general unsecured claim in the bankruptcy proceeding of up to $120 million , U.S. Attorney Diggs approved the United States’ intervention against three former executives of Kabbage, Inc . Under his leadership, the Civil Division also obtained a settlement with the CEO of a Texas hospital, who paid $ 5.3 million to resolve allegations under the False Claims Act involving illegal payments to physicians for laboratory referrals in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute. U.S. Attorney Diggs dedicated himself to protecting the civil rights of citizens of the Eastern District of Texas. He oversaw the district’s partnership with the other Texas U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division to investigate allegations of civil rights violations at Texas Juvenile Justice Department (“TJJD”) facilities across the state. The investigation found that TJJD violated the rights of children housed in those facilities. The Appellate Division also had notable victories under U.S. Attorney Diggs’ leadership. For instance, the Appellate Division persuaded the Fifth Circuit to affirm the 90-month sentence of a Colombian lawyer who falsely told drug traffickers that, for a fee, she could prevent their extradition to the United States; successfully defended the federal-programs bribery convictions of a local politician and her spouse —a real estate developer; and urged the Fifth Circuit to uphold the convictions of Aryan Circle prison gang members who were convicted of RICO conspiracy for their participation in various acts of violence and drug distribution. As U.S. Attorney, Mr. Diggs has prioritized his office’s engagement in the community, particularly when it comes to fentanyl awareness presentations where prosecutors across the district have given One Pill Can Kill presentations to students across the district. U.S. Attorney Diggs, along with the other Texas U.S. Attorneys, met with state education leaders in Austin to provide fentanyl-related information and awareness that could be used in schools state-wide. Additionally, in partnership with the Justice Department’s Community Relations Service, U.S. Attorney Diggs has spearheaded civil rights and hate crimes prevention through United Against Hate presentations across the district designed to raise community awareness about hate crimes, hate incidents and discrimination, and establishes connections between law enforcement and ethnic communities and religious groups, particularly those with members who have been reluctant to contact law enforcement for help. Beyond leading in the Eastern District of Texas, U.S. Attorney Diggs was a member of the Attorney General Advisory Subcommittees on Violent Crime, White Collar/Fraud, Cybercrime/Intellectual Property, and Terrorism/National Security. He also served a member of a Working Group dealing with FIRREA whistleblower issues. Pursuant to the Vacancies Reform Act, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin Jr. will succeed Mr. Diggs as the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas until a successor is nominated by the President and confirmed by the United States Senate. Learn more about the district at: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edtx .


title: 12 ½ Year Prison Term for Man Who Killed 13-Year-Old Karon Blake

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Jason Lewis, 42, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today for the killing of 13-year-old Karon Blake in January 2023, in the 1000 block of Quincy Street, NE, Washington D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Lewis was found guilty on August 16, 2024, of three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, and one count of voluntary manslaughter while armed, committed against a minor. Superior Court Judge Anthony Epstein ordered Lewis to serve an aggregate sentence of 12 ½ years. According to the government’s evidence presented at trial, at approximately 4:00 a.m., on January 7, 2023, Lewis armed himself with a fully-loaded handgun and went outside his home in the 1000 block of Quincy Street, NE. Lewis is seen on video leaving his house, aiming and firing at two young people who were fleeing their involvement in breaking into cars. After Lewis fired at those two people, hitting the car that one was driving, Karon Blake then ran in Lewis’s direction. Lewis then fired two shots into Karon’s left side, killing him. Lewis claimed that he acted in self-defense because the two people that he initially fired at threatened him. In finding Lewis guilty of the assaults with a dangerous weapon, the jury rejected his claim of self-defense. Lewis was arrested on January 31, 2023, and was initially held until he was released in March 2023, over the government’s objection. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. They also commended those who worked on the case including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey Wojcik and Shauna Payyappilly, who tried and prosecuted the case.


title: Virginia Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Sextortion and Production of Sexually Explicit Videos of a Minor

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Virginia man has been sentenced to 192 months in prison followed by 20 years of supervised release for using social media to contact and coerce a minor to create sexually explicit material, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, between November 2023 and February 2024, Raymond Jung Woo Choi, a.k.a Jason Lee, 42, of Centreville, Virginia, used Instagram and other social media apps to engage in sexually-focused conversations with a 13–14-year-old girl. Often using the alias “Jason Lee,” Choi knowingly enticed and coerced the minor victim to send him sexually explicit images and videos on Instagram. Choi also groomed and enticed the minor victim by providing gifts, which he sent via Amazon or mailed directly via the U.S. Postal Service. According to court documents, on February 17, 2024, Choi flew from Virginia to Minnesota to attempt to meet the minor victim in person. Because of family and law enforcement intervention, Choi was unsuccessful in his meeting attempt and flew back to Virginia. Choi pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography on October 2, 2024. He was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Donovan W. Frank. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. It was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew C. Murphy prosecuted the case.


title: California Couple Sentenced for Defrauding Paycheck Protection Program

component: USAO - Hawaii

body_text: HONOLULU – On January 9, 2025, Senior United States District Judge J. Michael Seabright sentenced Christopher A. Mazzei, 46, and Erin V. Mazzei, 43, both of Arroyo Grande, California, to 36 months and 27 months of imprisonment, respectively, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with a scheme to defraud the government of forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan funds intended for Coronavirus-related relief. The Mazzeis pleaded guilty to two counts of an Indictment on August 28, 2024. According to court documents and the statements of counsel at sentencing, Christopher and Erin Mazzei, who are husband and wife, submitted applications for PPP funds to Bank of Hawaii and two other banks on behalf of three purported businesses, each time utilizing interstate wires. For each application, the Mazzeis created false Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax returns and payroll records, which they presented as authentic and submitted to the banks to support their claims for PPP loan funds. The Mazzeis admitted that as a result of the false and fraudulent applications, they received $1,365,000 in PPP loan funds, which they then used for personal purposes, such as to purchase multiple sport utility vehicles and a home in Kapolei, Hawaii, among other things. In addition, the couple spent approximately $164,796 to film a promotional trailer for a television project entitled “Ohana,” that they hoped to produce in the State of Hawaii, and that they hoped would attract the attention of film producer and actor Dwayne Johnson. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, which was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through the PPP. In April 2020, Congress authorized over $300 billion in additional PPP funding. The PPP allowed qualifying small businesses and other organizations to receive loans with a maturity of two years and an interest rate of 1 percent. PPP loan proceeds had to be used by businesses on payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities. The PPP allowed the interest and principal on the PPP loan to be entirely forgiven if the business spent the loan proceeds on these expense items within a designated period of time after receiving the proceeds and used at least a certain percentage of the PPP loan proceeds on payroll expenses. Referring to the PPP as “crisis-based legislation,” Judge Seabright called the fraud conduct here “particularly blatant and egregious.” In pronouncing his sentence to both defendants, Judge Seabright remarked, “greed drove both of you.” “The Mazzeis perpetrated a gross fraud to obtain critical resources intended for members of our community experiencing devastating hardships as a result of the pandemic,” said United States Attorney Clare E. Connors. “The sentences appropriately condemn their conduct, and our office remains committed to bringing these prosecutions to ensure accountability for such bad acts and to protect the public fisc.” “This scheme diverted emergency relief that could have paid 25 Americans an average salary,” said Adam Jobes, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Seattle Field Office. “While small businesses shut down all over the country, the Mazzeis lived in excess on the taxpayer’s dime.” “Christopher and Erin Mazzei falsified loan applications to fraudulently obtain PPP loan proceeds earmarked to help struggling businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Mazzeis actions not only defrauded the PPP Loan Program, but also disadvantaged business owners who were entitled to the benefits,” said Special Agent in Charge Ryan L. Korner from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG). “The FDIC OIG is committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to protect the Nation’s financial system and hold accountable those individuals, like the Mazzeis, who steal benefits designated to help those in need.” “Christopher and Erin Mazzei defrauded the federal government of pandemic relief funds for their own personal gain and have now been brought to justice for their actions,” said Jon Ellwanger, Special Agent in Charge, Western Region, Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. “We are proud to have worked with our federal law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to hold Mr. and Mrs. Mazzei accountable.” The investigation was conducted jointly by IRS Criminal Investigation, the FDIC Office of Inspector General, and the Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, with assistance from the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregg Paris Yates prosecuted the case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .